The French striker is surplus to requirements at Barcelona with the Spanish champions admitting they were in talks with the Red Bulls about a move to the United States for the 32-year-old.

On Friday, however, West Ham joint chairman David Sullivan revealed he wanted to sign the former Arsenal star and was willing to offer him a two-year deal worth around £75,000 a week to move back to the Barclays Premier League.

Asked to react to those reports following New York's friendly win over Italian side Juventus, former Notts County boss Backe kept his cards close to his chest, laughed and said: "I don't know. They have to pay a lot of money then."

Backe had seen his side see off the first European visitors to the new Red Bull Arena with second-half goals from Jeremy Hall, Conor Chinn and captain Juan Pablo Angel.

Juventus had fielded a side led by Alessandro Del Piero, playing alongside David Trezeguet and with Brazilian Diego in midfield, but it was Trezeguet's replacement Amauri who found the net for the Italians in second-half stoppage time.