West Ham fear that their star player Dimitri Payet may try to force a move after Euro 2016.
Payet has been the talk of the competition so far with his outstanding performances for hosts France and West Ham are bracing themselves for interest in the 29-year-old from several major clubs once the tournament is over.
West Ham agreed a club record, £125,000-a-week, five-and-a-half-year contract with Payet last February and there have been no signs so far that the player, who enjoyed such a successful first season in Engand, wants to leave.
However, Real Madrid are said to be keen, with manager Zinedine Zidane an admirer of the France international. Chelsea are also interested, although another attacking midfielder is not a priority. But it is the interest of the La Liga giants in Payet which will worry West Ham most.
Payet has been a massive success since signing from Marseille for £10.7million last summer and has acknowledged that manager Slaven Bilic and his team-mates have been good for him. He has quickly become a fans’ favourite, so his possible departure, just when the club are preparing to move into their new Olympic Stadium home, would be a blow.
West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has been as impressed with Payet’s performances for France as everyone else. He said: “I’m so pleased he is playing so well. As for the future, Dimitri has five years left on his contract. There is no buy-out [clause] and we are building a team around him.”
Privately, however, the club remain anxious that a major European club would try to persuade Payet his future lies elsewhere.
