Everyone in the Football Transfer Tavern thought that Dimitri Payet was, without doubt, one of the standout Premier League players of last season…
The Frenchman was named West Ham’s Player of the Year after grabbing nine goals and 12 assists last season, all while entertaining fans at the Boleyn Ground with his tricky dribbling and dazzling skills.
Unfortunately for Hammers fans, when you have a player at the level of Payet, you often have to do deal with the transfer speculation that comes with it.
Over the summer, the 29-year-old was heavily linked with moves to Real Madrid and PSG for a staggering £60m fee.
Payet’s performances for France at Euro 2016 only served to heighten his appeal, with some Hammers fans at the Tavern already preparing for life without their star.
In the end, Bilic was able to hold onto his man for at least another season. However, after West Ham’s nightmare start to the season – which sees them in 18th place after picking up only four points from their opening seven games – Payet may well be looking at forcing a big move sooner rather than later.
It’s not all bad news for Hammers fans though – here at the Tavern we’ve got two great players who could replace the Frenchman…
NABIL FEKIR
West Ham have already had success once recruiting from Ligue 1, so why not try again?
Part of the exceptional young squad that Remi Garde created before his ill-fated spell at Aston Villa, Nabil Fekir is regarded as one of French football’s greatest talents, with some rating him even higher than Alexandre Lacazette.
Superb on the ball and great at providing chances, the 21-year-old would have no problem filling the creative void should Payet leave.
The question is whether the Hammers could attract the 2014/15 Young Player of the Year. As they managed to snag Payet when Marseille had qualified for Europe, they may well fancy their chances of persuading the Frenchman to head to London should Lyon fail to make the Champions League.
ZLATKO JUNUZOVIC
Another creative player who could do a good job succeeding Payet is Werder Bremen’s Zlatko Junuzovic.
While not as good on the ball as Payet, Junuzovic is arguably as good with his delivery as the Frenchman and had a similar propensity for free-kicks.
The Austrian is guaranteed to create chances with 22 assists in the past two seasons and his arrival would no doubt go down well with aerial threats like Andy Carroll and Michail Antonio.
West Ham should have no problem attracting the midfielder either, with Werder Bremen currently struggling just above the relegation zone in the Bundesliga.
