West Ham are unlikely to sign Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli in January due to 'bad blood' between the two clubs, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

The Lowdown: Alli linked with Hammers move

The Hammers may be looking to bring in new faces in the January transfer window, in order to strengthen their top-four push.

One player that have been linked with signing is Alli, who has fallen increasingly out of favour at the north London club, only making eight Premier League starts this season.

The 25-year-old has been involved since Antonio Conte took charge but it may still be the case that a move away materialises this month.

The Latest: Journalist not convinced

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O'Rourke admitted that he struggles to see a transfer happening, given the rivalry which exists between the two London clubs.

He claimed: "I just can't see Tottenham and West Ham doing business for Dele Alli, especially with both clubs fighting it out for a top four finish and there's a bit of bad blood between the clubs."

The Verdict: Hard to see it happening

It's hard to disagree with O'Rourke, with Spurs surely not willing to sell a player to a direct rival, even if he isn't considered a key player at N17.

The battle to finish in the top four is going to be intense in the coming months and it would make little sense to potentially make West Ham stronger, should Alli reach his potential with the Irons in the same way that Jesse Lingard did last year.

Should the Hammers seal a deal for the 25-year-old, it could be an inspired move, with the midfielder scoring 51 goals in the Premier League and being hailed as 'fantastic' by Ian Wright.

In other news, some West Ham fans have erupted over one transfer claim. Read more here.