”The price which the MLS would want would be big and that might be a problem because of his age and what we have to pay.

“We would like to, but it would probably be a problem. Of course I ask my chairman about the money but if you don't have it, you don't have it.”

Moyes, who saw Australian midfielder Tim Cahill score a hat-trick against Paul Lambert’s Championship outfit, said his club will not be big-spenders in the transfer market.

He said: “All we have done is add Beckford on a free, Jan Mucha on a free and the French lad Gueye who we played £1m for, so by Premier League standards we will probably have spent the least again.”

Moyes added that he does not believe the Premier League’s new 25-man squad rule will provide an advantage to clubs unable to spend big on foreign stars but with a reliance on local players.

He said: “I'm not sure how it will work yet. I don't think any of us know really. You could go on with no home grown players by just having a small squad. There will be a lot of clubs who will still have as good a season regardless.

We try to pluck one or two local lads and give those boys a chance.”