Live

Highlights on Off The Ball

02:00 PM-06:00 PM

Highlights on Off The Ball
Advertisement
Soccer

West Ham reject second Marseille bid for unsettled Dimitri Payet

Marseille have failed with a second bid for West Ham's Dimitri Payet worth a reported £20 m...



West Ham reject second Marseil...
Soccer

West Ham reject second Marseille bid for unsettled Dimitri Payet

Marseille have failed with a second bid for West Ham's Dimitri Payet worth a reported £20 million (€23 million).

Last week, West Ham manager Slaven Bilic claimed the winger is refusing to play for the London club as he tries to engineer a move away.

"We have said we don't want to sell our best players but Payet does not want to play for us," he had said, prior to the Hammers' enjoying a boost by beating Crystal Palace convincingly in a 3-0 result at the London Stadium.

West Ham are not in a position where they need to sell their Player of the Year from 2016.

They would prefer Payet apologises so he can return to first-team training, rather than work with the under-23s.

Last year, West Ham co-owner David Gold said: "The superclubs would come after a player of his ability and we wouldn't listen to any offer under £50m. Even then, we need to keep our best players."

Marseille had previously lodged a bid for their former player earlier this month, amid suggestions that the France international's family are not happy with life in London.

Payet spent much of his playing career in France, spending two years at Marseille between 2013 and 2015, before signing for West Ham for just over £10.5 million.

Midway through an excellent debut campaign last season, Payet signed an improved long term and lucrative contract running until 2021 with the London club.

Speaking to Off The Ball last week, Ireland and Leeds great John Giles was not impressed by Payet's behaviour: "Payet has signed a long term contract and has just said 'I don't want to play for you anymore'. So the contract doesn't mean anything now as far as the club is concerned. Unless the club take a really hard line and say 'no you're not going anywhere and we'll let you sit around for two years'. They can't afford to do that obviously.

"I think it's dreadful behaviour. If you sign a contract, you should honour that contract."  

Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!

Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.


Read more about

Soccer