The Hammers are keen to tie up extensions for a number of key players and will start by approaching the midfield trio, with the club confident of agreements being reached soon
Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini and Cheikhou Kouyate are set to sign new deals at West Ham as the club looks to retain several key players ahead of next season’s move to the Olympic Stadium, Goal understands.
The Hammers have enjoyed a fruitful campaign following the appointment of Slaven Bilic in the summer and currently sit sixth in the Premier League, two points behind Manchester United and eight behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
As such, the club’s hierarchy have been emboldened in the transfer market and they plan to tie down three key stars in a significant signal of intent.
Payet has been heavily linked with a move away from Upton Park in recent weeks, with Sky Sports reporting that a Chinese club had tabled a bid of £38 million for the playmaker.
However, sources insist that no such offer has been made for the 28-year-old, who signed a five-year contract in the summer upon completion of his move from Marseille, and maintain that the Frenchman has no desire to leave the club.
Payet earns a basic wage of £68,000-per-week in east London and a number of packages have been proposed to his representatives, from a basic rise to a heavily-incentivised deal.
Reports that Payet has demanded a weekly wage of £125,000 are also understood to be wide of the mark, with the club having to adhere to a strict wage bill.
Nevertheless, the club are keen to reward his sparkling performances – Payet has scored six goals and been credited with four assists in 2015-16 – and expect to formalise an agreement in the coming weeks.
Kouyate, meanwhile, earns £38,000-per-week at present but the club have been impressed with his consistency in midfield thus far this term and are set to reward him with a new deal that approaches £60,000-per-week.
Goal understands that Tottenham have expressed an interest in acquiring the midfielder this summer as they seek to build on their own impressive season, but such a transfer is unlikely, with relationships strained at boardroom level over the Olympic Stadium battle and Spurs’ refusal to deal with the club over a potential loan move for Emmanuel Adebayor last year.
Much like Kouyate, Lanzini has impressed this season following his initial loan move from Al Jazira and the club are poised to extend his stay at the club, having agreed to trigger the option to make his move permanent.
Lanzini has scored four goals and provided one assist in 14 Premier League outings thus far this season.
- Goal