Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) executives have decided the offer from the club is a best solution to take over the £537 million ($836 million) Stadium after the Games, BBC London reported tonight.

The OPLC Board will be asked to support the view and announce the Hammers, who plan to keep the athletics track if they are successful, as preferred bidder at its meeting on Friday (February 11).

The Government and London's Mayor, Boris Johnson will then take a final decision in the coming weeks.

But it would be a surprise if they overturned the recommendation.

A bitter war of words has broken out in recent days between the two Premier League clubs, with West Ham chairman David Sullivan claiming today that if Tottenham were given the Stadium it would mean they "profit from the UK taxpayer".

He said: “What is an Olympic Park without an Olympic Stadium?

"Do we need the debate to go any further than that? West Ham are the only ones proposing to stay true to the Olympic legacy with a running track in the Stadium and we know it will work.

 "Living and working locally, I make no secret of wanting the best for West Ham United but to do that while helping UK Athletics, Essex Cricket, the hundreds of schools that we are already working with and an area that so desperately needs regeneration is a great opportunity.

"That is what I care about.

"Sure I want it to be a financial success because the more it is, the more money will go straight back into the community and to the public purse.

"That's why we are equal partners with Newham Council.

"This isn't some private plan with offshore banks and tax exile investors waiting in the wings to profit from the UK taxpayer like myself."

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