WEST HAM sporting director Gianluca Nani has dismissed speculation linking the club with a January transfer swoop for Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu as 'rubbish'.

Reports in the Daily Mirror claimed Nani had earmarked the former Chelsea hitman as one of a number of names he was looking to bring in when the transfer window re-opens on Friday.

However, Nani moved to quash the rumours. He told Violanews.com: "I would like to talk about serious things. I prefer not to say anything about Mutu.

"It's all rubbish. I'm saddened by all these voices which insist there's a deal.

"There's little respect and that's not right."

Mutu has been in prolific form for Fiorentina, but he was recently ordered to pay Chelsea 17million euros after testing positive for cocaine during his time at Stamford Bridge.

He was sacked by Chelsea and banned for seven months from the game, but he has been rebuilding his reputation as a high-class striker in Italy.