THE group that has been heavily linked with a takeover of West Ham insist they have the money to fund a buy-out of the club.

London-based financial company Intermarket announced their interest in buying the Upton Park club last month, although questions were raised about their intentions.

It is is believed that the company value West Ham at £100million, a price that includes taking on the club's estimated debts of £45million, as well as the costs that are outstanding from the Carlos Tevez affair.

However, West Ham's current owners, CB Holdings, are thought to value the club at £100million, excluding the debts, indicating that Intermarket's valuation is well short of the mark.

However, the company have moved to demonstrate that they are serious bidders by proving that they have the money to fund a takeover.

David Byrne, Intermarket's secretary and one of its two founding directors, told the Telegraph that the company have signed a non-disclosure agreement with Rothschilds.

“Some people were dismissing us as not being serious bidders but we are,” he told the newspaper. “We have satisfied them (Rothschilds) that we have proof of funds.

“We have definitely got the interested parties with the money needed to do what we need to do and get in some funding to stop West Ham having to sell players and make sure they can strengthen to be able to avoid relegation.”

Byrne also played down the bid's link to American financier Jim Bowe and claimed the company have the club's best interests at heart.

“We are West Ham supporters and are deadly serious and we believe we have satisfied Rothschilds that we are serious,” he added. “This has been portrayed as an American bid but that is not the case. The Intermarket group is London based.”