SOCCER:MARTIN O'NEILL is set to turn West Ham down despite an offer of a €3.5 million bonus if he were able to keep the club in the Premier League.

The London club’s board have been involved in discussions with O’Neill’s representatives since early last week as they sought to secure him as a replacement for the beleaguered Avram Grant with West Ham bottom of the table and the financial implications of relegation unthinkable.

However, it appeared last night the Irishman was ready to decline the chance of a return to management, having been dismayed by leaked news of his potential appointment over the weekend.

O’Neill was initially keen to end his five-month spell out of football and was attracted by the challenge in keeping West Ham in the top flight. His employment would have been on a five-month deal, taking him through to the end of the campaign, with the situation to be reviewed in the summer.

However, West Ham’s attempts to secure O’Neill appear to have failed with the 58-year-old apparently unimpressed with the way reports emerged on Saturday claiming he would be named as Grant’s successor after the derby against Arsenal. O’Neill was disappointed at the way the story was leaked and with the implication that he had effectively accepted a position before the incumbent had been dismissed.

The West Ham board now fear they have lost their candidate.