Villas-Boas gives mixed messages on Dimitri Payet’s potential return to West Ham

Thursday’s edition of L’Equipe had some rather surprising claims on Dimitri Payet.

A return to West Ham was presented as a possibility in the current transfer window, and it’s likely down to what’s been going on behind the scenes at Marseille.

Jacques-Henri Eyraud, the club’s president, this month appointed Paul Aldridge as an advisor, and he’s been tasked with selling players to English clubs.

Aldridge has West Ham ties, and that encouraged Payet rumours, leading to today’s story.

Villas-Boas clearly wasn’t happy about the arrival and made that clear in a press conference last week. Now he’s been speaking again, and was of course asked about the Payet and West Ham issue.

FootMercato quote him as saying: “Yes for me yes, Dim is not transferable. He knows it, we have a special relationship, he also knows the importance he has for the team. After that, it’s not only the position of the club, that of the player also counts. I read what came out in L’Equipe and in England today. I don’t know if it’s true, we have to be ready if it happens. There are a lot of parameters to take into account: the offer for the club, for the player… I don’t think it’s going to happen. We will wait.”

That’s hardly pouring scorn on the entire idea, which is what may have been expected from the Marseille boss. Payet returning to West Ham would be a huge surprise, especially given the way he forced exit and return to France.

Marseille would want a big fee, their manager wouldn’t be happy, and it would be an awful lot of Hammers hassle for a player who turns 33 years of age in March.