Socceroo star Lucas Neill is in transfer limbo and the subject of attack in Britain as a result of snubbing Liverpool and electing to sign with West Ham.

Blackburn is refusing to sanction his transfer, West Ham admit they do not know how the deal will work out, Liverpool is left bemused by Neill's choice and he may yet end up playing for Blackburn this weekend.

Neill, 28, has agreed personal terms on a two-and-a-half year deal with West Ham worth a reported $125,000 per week after the London club trumped Liverpool's pay offer.

However Blackburn is not willing to release him to the Hammers until they can find a defensive replacement, and in the meantime may play Neill in the away match against Newcastle this Saturday.

"We have not had an acceptable deal," Blackburn manager Mark Hughes said.

"We have had offers of money, but West Ham aren't close.

"It's players and not money I am interested in."

Blackburn has reportedly asked for West Ham full back Paul Konchesky in exchange, but West Ham is not prepared to release him.

Rovers may yet use money from Neill's transfer to buy Stephen Warnock from Liverpool - with Warnock originally slated as the exchange offered by Liverpool to get Neill.

West Ham manager Alan Curbishley said: "I don't know where that one will go" when asked about the Neill transfer.

Neill's decision to choose relegation-threatened West Ham ahead of regular cup-winners Liverpool was cited by commentators as evidence of the greed-based culture of modern players.

Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce said Neill's decision proved the malaise in the modern game.

"If you've got a choice of going to Liverpool or West Ham and the wages are exactly the same, for footballing reasons you might decide to go to Liverpool," Pearce said.

"That's why West Ham have probably offered more money to try to tempt the player there in an effort to force the club forward, which you can understand.

"I find it a little bit hard to understand, especially when you look at the figures we are talking about.

"We are not talking about the difference between poverty and extreme wealth - we are talking about extreme wealth to extreme wealth."

Former Premier League star and Ireland international Tony Cascarino said the wages offered to a "mediocre" player like Neill showed player salaries were getting out of control.

"Neill's a decent enough player - not especially quick but solid, good on the ball, versatile," Cascarino told The Times.

"Is that worth more than STG2.5 million pounds ($A6.27 million) per year, even in today's climate? No. Do West Ham care? Not a bit.

"They don't think of it as paying for Neill, they view it as buying themselves closer to Premiership survival.

"They know he's overpriced, but it doesn't matter in the bigger picture, with STG30 million pounds ($A75.27 million) the prize even if you finish bottom of the Premiership in 2007-08."

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