Dimitri Payet

As angry fans lose patience with Dimitri Payet, West Ham keeps rejecting transfer bids

Published Jan. 16, 2017 3:01 p.m. ET

Caitlin Murray

Dimitri Payet wants to leave West Ham and he isn't backing down. He hasn't been training with the first team and he refused to play in West Ham's win over Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The problem is, a resolution doesn't look to be in sight, at least for now. West Ham officials have made it clear they won't be bullied into a sale by Payet's antics and the club has rejected a second bid from Marseilles, it was reported Monday.

The Ligue 1 team's improved offer has been pegged at around £20 million, but reports say West Ham wants an offer closer to £30 million for Payet, whose contract runs through 2021 after an extension in February. As steep an asking price as that is, if true, it's an improvement from the club's recent stance that Payet wouldn't be up for sale, no matter the price.

Fans haven't been too happy with seeing what is probably West Ham's best player skip games over contract disputes. Guards reportedly have been stationed by Payet's photo at London Stadium to prevent vandalism and fans have been doing things like this:

https://twitter.com/Footy_Community/status/820358669548265472

For now, Payet – who joined West Ham from Marseilles in 2015 for £10.7 million – is training with the Under-23 team, and the club has reportedly said they want Payet to apologize to the fans and return to the first team. The French international reportedly wants to move because his wife and sons are unhappy in London and want a return to France.

Meanwhile, West Ham's leadership, including chairman David Gold, say the club can afford not to sell him.

https://twitter.com/davidgold/status/820929248605114368

Whatever happens, the situation right now is a bit of a mess and no one is getting what they want. All the while, the clock is ticking as the January transfer window slams shut in two weeks.

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Dimitri Payet

West Ham

Ligue 1

English Premier League