Dimitri Payet eyes a shock return to West Ham

The French international caused outrage at the London club after he forced his way out, having just signed a lucrative long-term deal, pointing to the poor performances of his team-mates as the reason he wanted to leave the club during a relegation fight.

After impressing in his first season in the Premier League, Payet's influence waned in his second season and he therefore refused to play for the club until he got his move back to Ligue 1.

Despite leaving the Hammers on such sour terms, 'The Guardian' reports that the player's representatives approached the club asking whether they would be interested in re-signing him.

Marseille are thought to want more than the £25 million than they paid West Ham should he be allowed to go back to the Premier League, after he made 46 appearances last campaign to help his team reach the final of the Europa League, a game in which he sustained an injury to rule him out of contention for the World Cup in Russia.

It is believed that manager Manuel Pellegrini sought the assurances of senior players at West Ham about bringing him back to the club, and that they would be open to working with the attacking midfielder again.

Pellegrini is keen to add players in the attacking area of the pitch, as Manuel Lanzini will be out for 6 months with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.