West Ham seeking 'world-class' talent - Pardew

Alan Pardew wants to sign a “world-class player” of David Beckham’s calibre to help establish West Ham as a major European force.

Pardew already believes the Continent’s top UEFA Cup qualifiers will look on West Ham as a team to avoid in next season’s competition.

And the Hammers boss plans to enhance that reputation by splashing his £15m (€22m) transfer kitty on at least four players over the summer.

But Pardew’s long-term aim is to attract one of the game’s great names to Upton Park to help West Ham close the gap on the Champions League giants.

“Some of these world-class players are so financially secure that you think maybe the challenge of coming to West Ham would be greater for them,” said Pardew.

“That is what I want. I don’t want to tap into a player who we have to put ourselves at financial risk for.

“I want to tap into a world-class player who fancies the challenge of coming and inspiring some young players and taking us to another level. That is something completely different.”

Pardew agreed a player like Beckham would fit that bill perfectly, although West Ham have no current plans to lure the England captain from Real Madrid.

But it is a signal of the ambition which now exists in east London and why Pardew is confident West Ham’s brightest young talents will not become the club’s second lost generation.

West Ham have lost nearly £100m worth of talent over the last decade with the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Jermain Defoe and Joe Cole all sold on and now England established internationals.

Pardew insists the same will not happen to the likes of captain Nigel Reo-Coker, Anton Ferdinand or Welsh defender Danny Gabbidon – because he thinks West Ham can deliver the success they all crave.

“We are not going into the UEFA Cup for the experience and to come out saying ’well, that was fun’. We are in it to win it,” declared Pardew.

“A lot of European teams would not fancy drawing us.

“We are starting to bring a level of success here very quickly and that will keep those players motivated to stay.

“That is the bottom line. If a player wants to go he will go, that is how it works. So I have to make sure the next challenge motivates them.

“One or two of the boys could be courted by Champions League clubs, but I hope their motivation is to stay within the group and try to win something here.”

Pardew will follow a number of his summer targets at the World Cup before making his move.

UEFA Cup finalists Middlesbrough will play 65 games this season and Pardew is acutely aware the current West Ham squad needs added depth, particularly at right-back, on both wings and in the centre of midfield.

“We have players we have scouted all year. It won’t be a case of finding new players in the World Cup, it will be a case of assessing the players we have scouted all year,” he said.

“That is what I’ll do. There is one or two I want to look at during the tournament and see what they do at the highest level.”

But before the fun and games of the transfer window, West Ham have two Barclays Premiership games to play before facing Liverpool in the FA Cup final.

Pardew has to decide how best to replace the suspended Hayden Mullins in the centre of midfield, with Carl Fletcher or Christian Dailly his leading options.