West Ham have had a bid rejected for Nigeria international Azubuike Egwuekwe, it was claimed today.

The Warri Wolves defender has been attracting interest from across Europe, including the Championship, with Standard Sport revealing back in November that Watford were monitoring his progress.

The Hammers expect Winston Reid to leave the club once his contract expires in the summer and are keen to complete a deal for Egwuekwe during the January transfer window.

But the Nigerian Premier League side has told Standard Sport that West Ham’s bid - believed to be in the region of £500,000 - was rebuffed.

“We rejected a bid from West Ham because we had disagreement with the agent handling the issue,” a club spokesman told Standard Sport. “The Club will make an official statement as regards his final destination soon.”

Capped 33 times by his country, and 6ft 5 in stature, Egwuekwe has been likened to compatriot Joseph Yobo by admirers.

Nigeria’s failure to qualify for this year’s Africa Cup of Nations makes signing the 25-year-old a more attractive proposition and the player has admitted in recent weeks that he hopes to leave his club in the near future.

“Offers are coming from overseas, I have an offer from an EPL club, the Championship and from Russia,” Egwueke told reporters in Nigeria last week.

“I am still a Warri Wolves player, but at the end of this month, I hope to say bye bye to Warri Wolves.”