FRESH speculation has surfaced over West Ham United's interest in Cherries winger Matt Ritchie.

Scotland international Ritchie and striker Callum Wilson were the subject of a bid, understood to be in the region of £20million, prior to Cherries' delayed final match of the season at Manchester United last month.

The timing of the offer left Vitality Stadium boss Eddie Howe vexed and described it as "unwelcome and unwanted".

The Telegraph reports the Hammers came forward with a package worth up to £10million for Ritchie on Wednesday and despite being "warned not to make another bid", have no plans to let it go.

Speaking after his side's 3-1 defeat at Manchester United on Tuesday, May 17, Howe said: “We had a bid yesterday evening. The disappointing thing from my perspective is why it came in the day before a game.

“It was our last game of the season and they had all summer to bid for our players. I don’t understand that.

“They are two players in the squad who were due to play and there was a lot of speculation around their futures. I thought that was bizarre. The bid was rejected and we have no intention to sell.”

Howe added: “We don’t need to sell. We have a really ambitious owner and want to try to improve our squad, not weaken it. I think that is the clear message from us.

“We are trying desperately to move this team forward and are looking at it the other way. We want to bring in new recruits to strengthen what is already a good group. That is the summer we hope to have.”

The Telegraph's report also claims Ritchie is keen to talk to West Ham.