Manuel Lanzini proves team spirit is thriving at West Ham after Dimitri Payet departure

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West Ham United are a much happier bunch nowadays after the departure of wantaway star Dimitri Payet in January.

Dimitri Payet returned to Marseille

Payet was reluctantly sold back to former club Marseille for £25 million in January.

Slaven Bilic brought in Robert Snodgrass from Hull City for £10 million and Jose Fonte from Southampton for £8 million.

Since Payet’s departure the Hammers have been more united and results have improved drastically as a result with the club sitting ninth in the Premier League.

Reports claimed Payet’s brooding attitude was hurting team morale.

Captain Mark Noble says divisions had formed in the dressing room off the back of discontent caused by Payet’s actions, as reported by the likes of the Daily Star.

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Improved and spirited performances since the Frenchman left showed morale has improved compared to the first half of the season.

And now the man who has stepped out of Payet’s shadow, Manuel Lanzini, has proved team spirit is better than ever with a post on Instagram.

The skillful Argentine playmaker posted a picture of himself at the centre of a huddle of West Ham players laughing and joking during training ahead of Monday night’s London derby with rivals Chelsea.

Manuel Lanzini

Lanzini said in the post: “Team Spanish win today.”

Skipper Noble, fellow Argentine Jonathan Calleri, goalkeeper Adrian, outcast Alvaro Arbeloa, Fonte and midfielders Cheikhou Kouyate, Pedro Obiang, Havard Nordtveit and Domingos Quina all feature in the picture which will bring a smile to the face of any Hammers fan.

Some fans could not resist a tongue-in-cheek dig, though, pointing out that number one ‘keeper Darren Randolph is being “left out” in the background looking on.

Given the run Chelsea are on West Ham will need all the team spirit they can muster.

But given the comfortable position Slaven Bilic’s side find themselves in, the East Londoners won’t be an easy proposition for the runaway Premier League leaders.