West Ham refuse to be drawn into war of words with Sporting CP after 'dildo brothers' slur

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West Ham United have refused to be drawn further into the escalating war of words with Sporting CP after their president, Bruno de Carvalho, referred to the Hammers' owners as the 'Dildo Brothers'.

West Ham and Sporting have been in dispute over whether West Ham submitted a formal transfer bid for Portuguese midfielder William Carvalho before the end of the transfer window.

Co-owner David Sullivan said that West Ham did lodge a bid - comments later described by Sporting director Nuno Saraiva as "intellectual pornography" better suited to "the set of an adult film".

West Ham have already said that they will take legal action, with David Sullivan Junior describing those comments as "nonsense" and "serious libel".

But Sporting president Carvalho raised the stakes yesterday, urging West Ham fans to "call David Sullivan and his brother 'the Dildo Brothers'", in pursuit of the truth about the Carvalho bid.

West Ham later confirmed to The Independent they would be making no further comment at this time.