New Manchester City boss Mark Hughes is considering making an offer of £15million for England International Dean Ashton at West Ham United if he fails to land Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz from former club Blackburn Rovers, according to reports.

Hughes had been linked with a £12million move for former charge Santa Cruz over the weekend, with Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester United also linked to the South American. However, Rovers manager Paul Ince is reluctant to let the former Bayern Munich striker leave Ewood Park this summer.

This has led Hughes to turn his attention to 24-year-old Ashton, who he sees as the ideal target man for City as he prepares for his first season in charge at the Eastlands Stadium.

Ashton had been linked with a move away from Upton Park this summer, with reports that a pay squeeze was to be introduced at the East London club. Hammers manager Alan Curbishley will not let Ashton leave without a fight though as he sees the forward as a key part of what he is trying to build at West Ham.

The former Norwich player has just recently signed a new long-term deal with the Irons, but an offer of £15million from City could test both Curbishley’s and the board’s resolve at Upton Park.