And that has gone down well among some players who believe the sulky superstar has been indulged by the club for too long.
Slaven Bilic – in announcing the shock news yesterday (Thurs) that the player wanted out insisted the club wanted to keep their best player.
And privately the mood towards the player could not be blacker after the club believed they had an informal arrangement with him and his agent that they would let him go in the summer.
According to our own sources – as reported yesterday – there is a strong suggestion that he is insisting on a move for personal reasons and the Mirror claims the same today via Darren Lewis who has good links to the club.
The Hammers, however may find themselves a little hamstrung in negotiations because Payet is insisting the only club that interests him is Marseilles.