The Brazilian side claim the player is set to join the Hammers on a loan deal, which would further bolster Allardyce's attacking options following the move for Marouane Chamakh on a six-month contract from Arsenal.
Allardyce said: "We are searching for players, but at this time of year an agent will ring me up, or he will contact the chairman and the next minute they ring the papers and say we are going to buy someone.
"That happens throughout the window so until we have got one having a medical or nearly clinched then we will be linked with another 150 players between now and January 31."
