L’Equipe have a feature in their Friday edition on possible January transfers for France internationals. Dimitri Payet is given a 50% chance of leaving West Ham during the current transfer window.
Marseille is the chosen destination, and that’s a story L’Equipe have been particularly pushing. It’s worth noting all the big claims on this potential deal originated in France.
West Ham paid around €15m for Payet, since then he’s become a regular France international and signed a new Hammers contract on bumper wages. That Marseille believe they could get him for €30m, and even include a player to bring that down is simply not trying ‘everything’.
The players most edged toward West Ham as part of a possible deal have left Marseille fans chuckling, with jokes that rather than bringing down what Marseille pay, sending Bouna Sarr and/or Romain Alessandrini should actually put the price up.
West Ham are being taken for fools with such potential offers and there’s no way they’d agree to selling Payet on anything like those terms. Alternatively, perhaps it’s Marseille’s fans being taken for fools, with the club’s new owners well aware they can’t buy Payet, but getting the intention out there to help with PR.
