Club scared off Payet move after ‘West Ham demanded £100m’

Dimitri Payet: Value has soared since joining Hammers

Dimitri Payet: Value has soared since joining Hammers

West Ham are reported to have fended off an approach for Dimitri Payet this summer amid claims the Hammers demanded £100million for their prized asset.

Payet’s performances over the past 12 months have seen his value shoot up from £25m in January, to £50m at the end of the season, while there was then talk of West Ham demanding £60million for him as his stock rose further on the back of some excellent displays for host nation France at Euro 2016.

But with several of Europe’s big hitters emerging as potential suitors for the £10.7million signing from Marseille last summer, the Daily Express claims West Ham spurned just one genuine enquiry for Payet this summer – and scared off the interested club by demanding a world-record £100million for the 29-year-old.

And with the window now closed, Jack Sullivan, co-chairman David Sullivan’s son, revealed only one club was brave enough to enquire over Payet.

Speaking on Essex radio station PhoenixFM on Wednesday night, Sullivan said that the Hammers quoted the interested club an asking price of £100m or otherwise there would be no deal.

The world-record fee was not met though to take Payet away from east London.

Although the interested club was not been named, the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Inter Milan – backed by new Chinese investors – have all been linked with the player over the course of the summer.

Payet’s agent has always insisted the player sees his future in east London and the player remains happy at West Ham.