West Ham United were taunted by Marseille this week, a month after being forced to sell Dimitri Payet back to them.
Dimitri Payet
The Hammers were forced to sell wantaway star Dimitri Payet back to Marseille for £25 million in January.
Since Payet’s departure the Hammers have been more united and results have improved drastically as a result.
Reports claimed Payet’s brooding attitude was hurting team morale and if performances on the pitch are anything to go by there is nothing wrong with the team spirit now.
It was galling for West Ham this week when Marseille president Jacques-Henri Eyraud appeared delighted to have “won” the transfer “game” over Payet.
Competition: Win West Ham United documentary Iron Men on DVD
Speaking to La Provence, Eyraud boasted they got Payet at a knockdown price, admitting he was worth nearly double what his club paid.
But Eyraud’s antagonistic comments will only serve to amuse West Ham fans, who will be quick to point out that his club paid more than double the £10m they sold Payet to West Ham for in the first place just to get him back a year later.
Payet Marseille President Eyraud and Sport Director Zubizarreta
And given the poisonous atmosphere Payet’s actions created in East London, supporters would even go as far as to say Marseille have done them a favour taking him off their hands.
It was an impossible situation for Slaven Bilic but one the manager and club handled well.
And so far West Ham don’t seem to be missing much as the Frenchman has struggled to recapture his imperious form of last season.
A solitary goal – a wicked deflection from a free-kick – against Guingamp in front of a half empty Stade Velodrome is all Payet has to show since his return and was ineffective as Marseille were hammered 5-1 by Paris Saint Germain last time out.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
