Glenn Roeder says he hopes to get a positive response about joining
West Ham from Fiorentina defender Tomas Repka by the middle of next
week.
"With Tomas it is just a question of him taking two, three, or even four days to think things over," says Glenn.
Explaining the situation further, he adds:
"I think it has all come as a bit of a shock and a disappointment to him that Fiorentina are prepared to sell him.
"I believe they are prepared to sell any of their players to raise money because they are in desperate financial straits.
"They have sold Rui Costa and the goalkeeper Toldo for £20m each - they are selling their best players to clear the bank.
"He is very highly rated at Fiorentina and in Italy, but I think he just needs to think things through.
"As far as I understand he is in the Czech Republic talking things over with his wife.
"If he was not to join us it would not be a bad reflection on the club - and he has stated that."
Glenn admits that it was while keeping tabs on another Fiorentina player that Repka first became a target, adding:
"Pierini caught our eye but unfortunately things didn't work out for reasons we have kept to ourselves.
"But we became very aware of Repka's ability as we watched Pierini."
Glenn's so far unsuccessful search for a central defender or two has been a major frustration for the Hammers chief.
"It is difficult to find the ones with the quality that you want," he says.
"It shows you that there is a real shortage of top top class defenders when Manchester United have signed one, albeit a world class defender, who will be 36 in November.
"Normally speaking you would have thought Manchester United would have been able to have found a younger player than Laurent Blanc.
"There is a desparate lack of real top class central defenders."
"With Tomas it is just a question of him taking two, three, or even four days to think things over," says Glenn.
Explaining the situation further, he adds:
"I think it has all come as a bit of a shock and a disappointment to him that Fiorentina are prepared to sell him.
"I believe they are prepared to sell any of their players to raise money because they are in desperate financial straits.
"They have sold Rui Costa and the goalkeeper Toldo for £20m each - they are selling their best players to clear the bank.
"He is very highly rated at Fiorentina and in Italy, but I think he just needs to think things through.
"As far as I understand he is in the Czech Republic talking things over with his wife.
"If he was not to join us it would not be a bad reflection on the club - and he has stated that."
Glenn admits that it was while keeping tabs on another Fiorentina player that Repka first became a target, adding:
"Pierini caught our eye but unfortunately things didn't work out for reasons we have kept to ourselves.
"But we became very aware of Repka's ability as we watched Pierini."
Glenn's so far unsuccessful search for a central defender or two has been a major frustration for the Hammers chief.
"It is difficult to find the ones with the quality that you want," he says.
"It shows you that there is a real shortage of top top class defenders when Manchester United have signed one, albeit a world class defender, who will be 36 in November.
"Normally speaking you would have thought Manchester United would have been able to have found a younger player than Laurent Blanc.
"There is a desparate lack of real top class central defenders."