Marseille want West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet but as the deal stalls reports in France claim the club could turn to London rivals Crystal Palace.
Payet has caused a storm after telling Hammers boss Slaven Bilic last week that he no longer wants to play for the club, despite signing an improved long-term contract last February.
Bilic insisted in a press conference ahead of the weekend’s 3-0 victory over Sam Allardyce’s Eagles that Payet would not be sold despite the situation.
Two offers from Marseille have fallen below West Ham’s £30m valuation and, according to Sky Sports, co-owner David Sullivan is refusing to be bullied into a quick sale.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic with Dimitri Payet
Sullivan’s fellow co-owner David Gold has also spoken out insisting the France hero would be going nowhere.
Payet trained away from the first-team squad on Tuesday morning, working one-on-one with a fitness coach at Chadwell Heath, their former training complex now a base for the club’s Academy.
Reports in France suggest Marseille, although now bankrolled by American billionaire Frank McCourt, will struggle to get near West Ham’s valuation for the player.
Crystal Palace’s Yohan Cabaye and team mates look dejected
And according to France Football, the Ligue 1 side’s manager Rudi Garcia has contacted Yohan Cabaye about a potential move.
The pair worked together at Lille and the report claims Cabaye could be interested in the move to France’s best supported club having only returned to the Premier League with Palace to join up with former boss Alan Pardew, who has since been sacked.
Cabaye has failed to shine for the struggling South London side this season with the club only outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
Should West Ham continue to dig their heels in over Payet, Marseille may be forced to move on and Cabaye would undoubtedly be the far cheaper option too.
Where that would leave Payet is another matter entirely, though, as he is reportedly desperate to return to France and specifically Marseille for family reasons after his wife and children failed to settle in London.
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