Dimitri Payet might have "angered" Slaven Bilic by essentially going on strike in order to force a move away during the January transfer window and that anger could increase if Chelsea have their way.
John Terry's successor identified
Payet has reportedly had his head turned by his former club Marseille, with the midfielder reportedly keen on returning to France. The fact that his family hasn't settled in London has been cited as a reason, but despite that, Chelsea are willing to make an offer for Payet.
The Sun claims Antonio Conte is keen to sign Payet from the fellow English Premier League club after missing out on the signing of Arturo Vidal from Bayern Munich. Conte wanted to be reunited with Vidal, but with Bayern unwilling to sell, he has had to look elsewhere.
Chelsea have not looked too far:
Payet is seen as the kind of player who can give the Blues, who have also been linked with another West Ham player in Michail Antonio, the extra quality and depth they need in their hopes of winning a second Premier League title in three years.
Bilic revealed Payet will not be a part of the West Ham team that will play Crystal Palace on Saturday, with the midfielder desperate to leave the club. However, one of the reasons, according to The Guardian, for Payet wanting to leave is the fact that his family is unhappy in London.
So, Chelsea will have a really tough time:
Convincing Payet that his future lies at... well, London, just the west part instead of the east will not be easy. Maybe the fact that he will be the part of a potentially title-winning team could sway his decision.
Payet had a wonderful season in 2015-16, starring for West Ham, which led to the club offering the 29-year-old a new deal until 2021. That means West Ham do not need to be in any hurry to sell, even if the fact that the player will miss matches for the rest of the month, at least, does make things a lot more complicated.
Bilic feels 'let down'
Bilic, though, insisted West Ham will not be tempted by offers for Payet, with the manager hopeful of reintegrating Payet back into the squad once the January transfer window closes.
"We have said we don't want to sell our best players but Payet does not want to play for us, he wants to leave," Bilic told reporters on Thursday. "He's definitely our best player and that's why we gave him a long contract.
"We are not going to sell him. This team, the staff – we gave him everything, we were always there for him. I feel let down. I feel angry. It's not a money issue or anything. We want to keep our best players.
"I expect him to come back and show commitment and determination to the team, like the team has shown to him."
