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Should West Ham do the unthinkable and re-sign Payet?

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The enigmatic Frenchman left West Ham United two-and-a-half years ago.

France's forward Dimitri Payet gives a press conference in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines on October 3, 2017, as part of the team's preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying football...

According to Get French Football News, Marseille could be forced to sell some of their highest paid star players before the end of this month, in order to comply with FFP regulations, with former West Ham man Dimitri Payet is believed to be available for transfer.

So could, or more likely should, the Hammers do the unthinkable and attempt to bring the Frenchman back to the London Stadium?

The 32-year-old joined West Ham from Marseille in the summer of 2015, for a fee belied to be worth £10.7 million, and he went on to be a cult hero at the London Stadium.

Payet was quite simply sensational for the Hammers, and was arguably the brightest talent to play for them since the days of Paolo Di Canio.

His relationship with the fans quickly went south, however, after he refused to play for Slaven Bilic, and angled for a move away.

The 38-capped France international eventually got his wish, and rejoined Marseille for £25 million in January 2017.

Despite the manner in which he left the club, there would surely still be plenty of West Ham fans who would welcome him back with open arms.

Dimitri Payet of Marseille during the French Ligue 1 match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and AS Monaco (ASM) at Stade Velodrome on January 13, 2019 in Marseille, France.

The problem is that Payet, who earns £100,000 per week according to the Independent, is at his best when playing on the left wing, a position currently occupied by Felipe Anderson. There is also the small matter of the Frenchman’s age. At 32, he will now be on the downward curve of his career.

And there will be those who believe that the Marseille man has burned too many bridges at West Ham.

The Hammers seem to be a club on the rise, and returning for Payet seems to make little sense at the moment.

Stranger things have happened though, especially when West Ham are involved.

Branislav Ivanovic (C) of Chelsea competes for the ball against Dimitri Payet (L) and Manuel Lanzini (R) of West Ham United during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and...