West Ham United tried to sign Fernando Torres

West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has revealed that the club made an audacious bid to sign Fernando Torres during the January transfer window.

The Championship promotion favourites contacted Chelsea about the possibility of taking the £50m Spanish international on a short-term loan.

In conversation with political journalist Iain Dale on his blog West Ham Till I Die, Sullivan said: "We tried to get Torres from Chelsea.

"If he couldn't score in the Premier League, he could come along with us for a month. We might fire him up!"

According to Sullivan, Chelsea responded to the enquiry by saying: "Not at this moment in time."

Carlos Tevez was also targeted by the East Londoners in January.

Sullivan explained: "Three times we asked. Three times they said, 'No chance'."

West Ham currently sit second in the Championship table.