Hammers scout French cup for next star

Hammers scouts were back in France looking for the next Dimtri Payet or Diafra Sakho to come out of the French top leagues.

Arsenal, Sunderland, QPR, Borussia Dortmund, Real Sociedad and Wolfsburg also sent representatives to watch as Bordeaux beat Lorient 2-0 to book their place in the French Cup semi-final.

Following the amazing success of Payet and Sakho in the Premier League, West Ham’s Director of Recruitment Tony Henry often sends scouts to the big French games looking the next young star which could break through to the Premier League for the Irons.

West Ham scouts have been assessing a number of right back targets as well as young strikers currently plying their trade in French Ligue 1.

West Ham snapped up Sakho in 2014 for an initial transfer fee of £3.5m on wages of £15,000 per week. His contract has since risen to £25,000 per week and Metz have received add-ons based on his 35 appearances. Dimtri Payet joined the Hammers from Marseille last June for £10.7m on a five year contract said to be worth £68,000 per week.