The Hammers are desperate to sign the on-loan striker permanently but cannot afford the £17m asking price because of tough incoming financial rules.
And that has put a huge strain on the debt-ridden club's bank balance as the Premier League prepare to impose spending controls from next season.
An Upton Park insider said: "Under the new rules the wage bill will be capped at just over £45m. Andy's on £4m a year. If you break the rules there are points deductions.
"The only way West Ham could do a deal with Liverpool is by juggling the fee because he shouldn't have to take a wage cut. That means very few clubs can afford him.
"He's doing well here now after injury problems and the people upstairs are desperate to try to work something out by juggling the figures.
Hammers' joint-chairman David Sullivan has halved West Ham's debt from around £100m when he took over three years ago.
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