Bilic looks to scoop another Payet jackpot

Slav and Payet in happier times

Slaven Bilic is trying to move fast as he bids to make another Dimitri Payet type signing….but obviously without the problems he eventually brought with him.

The manager never made any secret of his admiration for the midfielder but had no hesitation in removing him when he went on strike.

But a player of that quality is clearly on his wish list given that he has already declared the club knows which taargets it is pursuing.

He admitted: “Dimitri Payet it was like hitting the jackpot!. When it was done it was done in one week, like under cover or under the radar.

“We did it before the big teams even started to think about it. Those kind of things are the best. But unfortunately now in football you can’t count doing that every week. But it happened.

“Those players lift your whole team and your season. Then the clubs who do those kind of deals they usually finish high. But it’s very difficult do do now.

“I spoke this season after games with the managers and it was a surprise to me but most of the players that are on our list, they are on the list of a minimum of 10 other clubs. We are all aiming for, basically, the same names.”

He admitted the club went for other big names and may have paid the price saying: “Last year we tried to do something like that. We were in talks with (Lyon and France striker Alexandre) Lacazette, and maybe we spent too much time hoping.

We spent a lot of time on that, the board really tried and then it did not happen. Then we missed some No2 (options) and No3s.”