West Ham's possible move to the 2012 Olympic Stadium hinges on one of the two takeover bids for the club being successful.

Hammers chairman Terry Brown held talks with senior Olympic figures this week to discuss the club moving to the new stadium once the Games are over.

It is understood the club would not be able to afford the move unless they are taken over - and both bidders would look kindly on moving in at the Olympic Stadium.

British Sports minister Richard Caborn is among those supportive of West Ham taking over the stadium post-2012, though he has furiously rejected a report that he favours one bid over another.

"There is a very serious negotiation going on between West Ham and the Olympic authorities about the stadium," said Caborn. "Talks are going on about whether they could do a similar thing to Manchester City when they took over the Commonwealth Games stadium in 2002.

"It is completely untrue and totally without foundation to say that I am either supporting or am in any way involved in a potential bid for West Ham.

"I've have not had any contact with either of the reported bidders at any point - nor would I if they approached me as this would be totally inappropriate."

Manchester City spent £20million on the changes needed to the Commonwealth Games stadium and have a 250-year lease. Under their deal, they also pay a percentage of their ticket revenue back into grassroots football.

The prospect of moving to a new ground for such a small sum is one reason why there is such interest in West Ham.

One bid is being spearhead by London-based Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian
- the man behind the transfers of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano - who is backed by Israeli property magnate Eli Papouchaldo.

The other is from an Icelandic consortium headed by Uefa executive committee member Eggert Magnusson, who are seeking to put a second bid to the club.

No meeting has taken place with the Icelandic bidders this week however. West Ham's public relations consultant Phil Hall, who also represents Joorabchian, said: "There has been no meeting and no meeting is intended with those people at the moment."

If a football club does move to the Olympic Stadium, London 2012 are keen that the ground would still be able to hold athletics events.

A spokesman for the Olympic Delivery Authority said: "There are a number of options but our priority at the moment is providing an athletics legacy."

Tottenham sporting director Damien Comolli this week ruled his club out of moving to Stratford in east London on the grounds that they would not want a stadium with a running track.