Payet has ´no interest´ in Marseille return, claims Leboeuf

Former Marseille defender Frank Leboeuf says talk West Ham’s Dimitri Payet is interested in a return to the Ligue 1 club is nonsense due to the money available in the Premier League.

Payet moved to the Hammers from Marseille in 2015 and enjoyed a sparkling debut season in the Premier League, scoring 15 goals and contributing 17 assists across all competitions.

Those performances prompted West Ham to tie him to a new deal until 2021 in February last year, but speculation has been rife the France international could leave London Stadium and return to his old former employers.

However, Leboeuf, who switched to Marseille in 2001 after five years in England’s top flight with Chelsea, says Payet will have “no interest” in moving back.

“I do not believe it for a moment. There was the episode with Didier Drogba who never came back,” Leboeuf told RMC.

“We talked about Zizou [Zinedine Zidane] who would come to his dream city. He never came. No one has yet signed in Marseille. 

“When you’re in the most prominent championship, you do not want to go back to Ligue 1.

“He has no interest in coming back. It is true that unfortunately, there is only the money that counts.”