Dimitri Payet’s 2015/16 season was an exceptional one. No other West Ham player managed to reach the levels he did – at times he was a one-man tour-de-force in the final third for the Irons – and in his debut season outside of France he scored nine goals and laid on twelve assists in the Premier League.

That was form that rolled into EURO 2016, too, as he helped Les Bleus to reach the final in a home tournament, scoring three times, while providing two assists in the process, across six games.

That’s meant that speculation around his future has reached fever pitch in recent months, with a variety of clubs linked with the Frenchman. Manchester United and Arsenal were heavily aligned with the attacking midfielder last month, as reported by The Daily Star, and Marseille are the latest club in the Payet race, with French outlet L’Equipe reporting just last week that he could be on his way out of West Ham.

Should Payet stay? Or should West Ham cash in?

Here are FIVE reasons why the Hammers should take the money for Payet this transfer window…

His value will never be higher

Given the incredible season he had last year and his exceptional performances in the EUROs, this is the last transfer window that West Ham can get serious money for their star man.

L’Equipe reported that he could move for a fee up to £35m – a significant return on West Ham’s initial investment on the midfielder.

But, memories of the last 18 months will soon fade, and although he’s still shone at times this campaign, hasn’t quite hit the heights Hammers fans got used to last term.

If nothing else, it makes financial sense to sell him at the peak of his value.

He isn’t scoring as many goals

As noted, last season Payet scored nine Premier League goals for West Ham, leading them to a European qualification spot.

This season it isn’t going quite so well. He’s only netted twice in the Premier League and neither goal has contributed to a win. A talismanic presence last year who often dragged them to three point-hauls on his own, this term he just isn’t impacting on matches as much as he once was.

He’s still creating plenty of chances, though. No one, in fact, has created more chances than him in the Premier League this season, but it’s those goals that made him stand out so much. If he can’t find the net as often as West Ham need, then landing a big fee could be tempting.

Is he committed to the club?

As reported recently by The Sun, Slaven Bilic spoke to Dimitri Payet about his ongoing commitment to play for the club. With his performances faltering, fans have been, of course, concerned and this seems to confirm things were not all going well for Payet at the club.

The Sun say that Bilic has not just been concerned with performances but also his application on the training pitch.

If he’s not putting in the hard work to succeed, then perhaps it’s best for all parties that he moves on. West Ham can ill afford players not willing to give everything for the shirt, especially if their bad form continues and they slip into a relegation dogfight.

The squad needs investment in other areas

West Ham are badly wanting for goals this season and a striker must be a priority for Slaven Bilic in this month’s transfer window.

Signings like Simone Zaza just haven’t worked out and between them, the Hammers’ strikers have found the net just three times in the Premier League.

If they can secure a large fee for the attacking midfielder, they could invest in a more dynamic star in the final third, one that guarantees movement and goals.

That will cost money, so freeing up wages and boosting fee resources could prove a shrewd move by Bilic and the club.

He isn’t getting any younger

Because the French midfielder has been at West Ham for only 18 months, it’s easy to forget that he is approaching 30.

The pace and physical demands of the Premier League have never been higher and cashing in now on Payet means they’ll be selling a player who is likely at his peak ability wise.

Investing in younger, hungrier talent could pay dividends for West Ham over the next half decade. It’s that silver lining that Hammers fans should take if the club do decide to cash in.

There’s no doubting that Payet is a quality player but if that ability and form is only going to regress then surely it makes sense to do the deal on his transfer right now?

Manchester City are no longer in the hunt for the Premier League title, according to manager Pep Guardiola.

The Spaniard, who won six league titles across spells in charge of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, made the admission after his team were beaten 4-0 by Everton on Sunday afternoon.

The North-West team have now recorded four league defeats in their last eight games, and currently sit fifth in the table, 10 points adrift of leaders Chelsea after 21 games.

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On a personal note for Guardiola, the result against Everton was his worst ever league defeat as a manager.

The misery for City began just after the half-hour mark at Goodison Park when Romelu Lukaku put Everton ahead, and then Kevin Mirallas doubled the Merseyside outfit’s lead 13 minutes later.

City failed to turn it around and they were humiliated further when Toffees youngster Tom Davies and January signing Ademola Lookman added to the scoreline.

After the match, when asked if the title race is over for City, Guardiola told reporters:

“The first one (first place), yeah. The first one is a 10-point gap and that is a lot of course. The second one is three points, so we have to see. I spoke with the players for the last three weeks to forget about the table.

“Focus on the next game and do our best. After that, at the end of the season, we’ll analyse how our level was, our performance, the coach, the players. After we are going to decide.”

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If Gabriel Jesus came to save Pep Guardiola’s faltering first season at Manchester City, the Abu Dhabi United Group’s Chosen One certainly didn’t know it for sure.“It’s like a watermelon. You have to open it up and see. But we knew his potential was good,†Guardiola said after his frighteningly young, frighteningly gifted front three tore West Ham United apart at the London Stadium.Jesus may have been signed from Palmeiras in January, but the deal was in place from the summer. City had to wait months for his arrival, and watch the prodigious talent from afar as he lit up YouTube clips and social media with goals and performances for Palmeiras and Brazil’s Olympic team. You may not know exactly how ripe a melon is before you cut into it, but there’s a trick: the ripest melons give off the sweetest smells through their skin. City have spent months sniffing this one.

The front three of Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus may well be ripening, but it’s the fact that they aren’t yet at their most mature that will excite Guardiola the most.

We hear a lot about philosophy and vision when we talk about the City manager, and while most of it may be overblown, it is certainly true that what he demands from his players, he demands very specifically. Part of the success in Barcelona was the fact that players like Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets worshipped Guardiola – he was a La Masia graduate just like they were, and had gone on to win the Champions League with the senior team. He was a hero, and that helped. When he told them to do something, they subjugated themselves to his will with body and soul. Sacrificing themselves for the system, the story goes.

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At Bayern Munich, he was lucky again in that he could build a team of ‘nice guys’ who probably fitÂthe Graeme Souness criteria of ‘sons in law’ – it wouldn’t disappoint you if your daughter brought them home. Once again, Guardiola had a team of players he could mould.

With Gabriel Jesus, he seems to have found a valuable piece of the jigsaw at his new club. Perhaps another nice boy who will do exactly what he’s told, Jesus has also demonstrated an aggression and a determination in his first few matches at the Etihad Stadium. A Premier League version of the Guardiola nice boy, perhaps, and one that doesn’t fall into the Arsenal trap of simply being too nice: an ‘Arsenal haircut’, as Jonathan Wilson once put it in The Guardian, players with ‘hair as neat as their passing’.

These are, perhaps, the main takeaways from Guardiola’s first half season in charge of City. The intensity of the Premier League, and its lesser teams’ refusal to defend deep for 90 minutes in the hope of nicking a 0-0 draw hasn’t given his back line anytime to get used to a pass-at-all-costs game in the face of high and heavy pressure. And added to that, the squad he has inherited didn’t include too many players of a malleable type.

The chief problem on that score is Sergio Aguero. Arguably the greatest striker in English football, the Argentine may be the greatest out-and-out striker in the world, too. But he doesn’t show the aggression to press and the willingness to bend to Guardiola’s will, both qualities the Catalan feels he needs from his main striker this season.

How do you leave a player like Aguero on the bench indefinitely? A club legend who represents a link to City’s initial successes under their new ownership, he is also still a lethal goalscorer and the team’s top scorer this season.

This season, City may cope better with a different type of striker in the team. Like Daniel Sturridge at Liverpool, Aguero’s ability to adapt to the style of play has been called into question, as has his injury record. And as is borne out in the infographic below, Aguero’s contribution to City’s overall win percentage seems to be on a downward trajectory.

It seems that at some point in 2014 City started to win more games without the Argentine than they did with him. Initially, it looks as if Manuel Pellegrini’s side simply learned to play without Aguero; given his injury prone nature, they had to. This season, maybe the difference is explained by the system City are employing, and Aguero’s suitability to play in it. Your best eleven players don’t always make your best team.

It is premature to predict the demise of a talent like Aguero’s after one game where he was left out, and in one season where he hasn’t always been City’s focal point. Yet some games seem to herald more than just one more example to back up a wider point. There are some games that just feel significant, like you are witnessing history.

Being left on the bench against West Ham was one thing, but having to watch on as a masterclass in tenacity, pressing, and speed on the counter attack is performed by three attackers an entire generation younger is quite another. It felt like the first step in a process that will see a changing of the guard over the next year or two. A process which could be hastened if Aguero himself decides he should move on this summer.

When Guardiola took over at City, he spoke of a three-year plan, not instant success. His signings in the summer backed that up: John Stones, Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus were all additions with an eye on the future, not instant success. But they were also players who could be moulded to fit, players who were young enough to be groomed to idolise Pep and his methods, players who wouldn’t resist the manager when he gave them specific instructions. Malleable. Pliable.

Gabriel Jesus may not be the saviour of Guardiola’s time at Manchester City all by himself, but he is the attacker favoured by City’s Chosen manager, not Sergio Aguero, it seems. It may have been coming over the past few years – City may not need Aguero, they may have learned how to play without him, and are now even starting to outgrow him.

It won’t happen overnight, but what we witnessed at the London Stadium was more than just an exciting performance from three exciting young players. It was the start of the changing of the guard.

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may feel his career has stagnated a bit in recent seasons, with the England international having to deal with a number of injury problems and constantly finding himself outside of Arsenal’s first-choice XI.

Reports today have suggested both Everton and Manchester City are keen on the signature of the 23-year-old versatile midfielder, who is accustomed to playing out-wide but has impressed in a more central role in the past month.

With his numbers for the season, Oxlade-Chamberlain should certainly be playing more games and they show both Everton and Manchester City could benefit from his services.

Whilst Oxlade-Chamberlain has always stated his best position is centrally, the stats suggest he is best when running at a defender out wide as he’s won a remarkable 44 take-ons during his 11 Premier League appearances this season.

Having also suffered 14 fouls, Oxlade-Chamberlain is clearly difficult to handle and his tally of four assists and two goals is a decent return for a player who has regularly been used off the bench.

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Patrick Roberts’ loan spell at Celtic has been a pretty fantastic success for all parties concerned so far. Fourteen months have passed since he arrived in Glasgow looking for a more significant taste of first team football than what he’d been used to in his career up to that point.

Initially providing a much needed creative boost to Ronny Deila’s side, he’s continued his development under Brendan Rodgers who is one of the best managers he could currently be working with on a day to day basis.

Not only that but he’s won winners medals, played in the UEFA Champions League, become a hit with supporters and forged a brilliant friendship with Kieran Tierney!

The young winger is set to return to Manchester City this summer but we reckon the Hoops should be going all out to gain his permanent signature, even if it costs a fair wedge of cash.

Here are five reasons why…

He can score goals like this

Patrick Roberts possesses one of those natural and effortless goalscoring abilities, the kind that the opposition must hate because no matter how they try to combat it, players like Roberts can produce magic from almost any situation.

In the video above he receives the ball on the halfway line and less than 10 seconds later it’s in the back of the net. Yes you could argue Aberdeen gave him far too much room and you’d be right, but you can’t argue about the finish, a truly sumptuous drive into the top corner.

If Celtic did invest in Roberts, supporters would likely see this on a regular basis.

He can turn it on at the highest level

There was a lot of pressure and spotlight on Patrick Roberts’ shoulders when Celtic went to the Etihad last December in the final game on the UEFA Champions League group stages. It was arguably a game that meant more to him than any other person in the stadium given that final positions in the table had been decided already.

He turned it on in a big way and scored a lovely goal against his parent club showing that not only can he produce quality at the highest level but that he could do it with a bit of pressure on him.

Celtic are hoping to have another tilt at the group stages of the competition next season so need the kind of quality that Roberts possesses to try and be competitive. In a tough market, attracting familiar faces may be easier than convincing others.

It would allow Rodgers to make him the main man

While the form of James Forrest has undoubtedly been very good in spells this season, you get the impression that if Roberts were not leaving at the end of the season that Brendan Rodgers would perhaps be more willing to commit to the young Englishman.

There’s no sense in playing him every week at the expense of the likes of Forrest, who has just committed to the club with a new contract. We’re sure Rodgers picks the best XI available to him every week but it would be more justifiable to give Roberts more of a shot were he a permanent player.

Having the club invest in him heavily could allow Rodgers to make him the main man on the right wing, knowing that his development and future will always benefit Celtic in the long run. Combined with Scott Sinclair on the left it would be a very formidable wing set-up at the club.

 Seven assists, despite limited starts

Kieran Tierney and James Forrest are leading the way in the Celtic assist charts with 8 each but they’ve played many more games than Patrick Roberts, who has just one less on 7. That’s pretty impressive and highlights his creative skills are second to none at the club.

If he can add more goals to his game he could be approaching the kind of impact that Scott Sinclair has had on the side who, while actually assisting less that Roberts with 6, has scored a massive 17 goals for the club this season.

That kind of assisting rate from Roberts will be hard to replace and could even end up costing Celtic close to what it might take for the young on-loan star to move to Celtic Park permanently.

Re-sale value

We’ve seen Celtic’s transfer model used to great effect in recent years with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Fraser Forster, Ki Sung-Yeung and Victor Wanyama all moved on for big profit after good spells at the club. The same could be true for Patrick Roberts even if the winger costs a little bit more than those players did initially.

At just 20 years of age he has the whole world ahead of him if he continues learning and working as hard as he has done up to this point.

A couple of more seasons at Celtic, permanent ones, could really be the next stage in his career that he’s looking for. Just look at how Moussa Dembele as his enhanced his reputation in the game this season.

If Celtic show commitment and willingness to invest and nurture his talent then he could follow a similar path to his former Fulham teammate and that can only be a positive for both the club and the player.

Liverpool rejected a loan approach from Paris Saint-Germain for striker Daniel Sturridge in January, according to Goal.com.

What’s the word?

The England international has turned into the forgotten man at Anfield due to injuries and lack of form.

Sturridge has made 21 appearances in all competitions under manager Jurgen Klopp this season, and has started just five Premier League games.

Goal.com reports that PSG saw Sturridge as an ideal forward partner for Edinson Cavani, but Liverpool did not entertain the notion of a loan deal.

The website claims that Klopp had no intention of letting any of his players leave in the middle of the season, but it is still uncertain whether Sturridge has a future at Anfield.

What should he do?

It is clear that Sturridge is not favoured by Klopp given that he is below Roberto Firmino and Divock Origi in the pecking order.

It has been a sharp drop for the striker, who formed a deadly attack with Luis Suarez during the 2013-14 campaign.

A lack of game time and injuries has limited Sturridge to just six goals in all competitions this season.

The best option for the 27-year-old is to search for pastures new in order to get his club career back on track and possibly revive his England career.

The problem with Sturridge is injuries, and at the moment he struggles to stay fit for a lengthy period of time, which is likely to be a cause for concern for any potential suitors.

From the player’s point of view, a loan move could be favourable, but Liverpool will probably want something more permanent if Sturridge is not prepared to be a squad player.

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Leeds United are in danger of missing out on signing Liverpool youngster Ryan Kent as he is due to be offered a new contract at Anfield, according to The Sun.

What’s the story?

The 20-year-old has reportedly attracted admirers due to his form this season at Barnsley.

The midfielder joined the Championship outfit last summer on loan and has gone on to start 31 league games and come off the bench in four others.

The youngster has also netted two goals and provided one assist during his time at Oakwell.

The Sun claims that Leeds, as well as Bournemouth, have expressed an interest in Kent, with the former already opening talks about a permanent deal.

However, the publication states that Liverpool intend to offer Kent a new deal, and the player, who has two years left on his current one, is open to discussing fresh terms with the Reds.

What is the best option for Kent?

The youngster is gaining valuable experience in the Football League, but there is a danger of too much too quickly.

At his age, Kent has plenty of years left in him to make it at the top level and become a regular starter.

If he opts to commit himself to Liverpool, he faces a tough challenge in trying to break into Jurgen Klopp’s first team, but if the club want to keep him then they clearly see promise.

Leeds could offer regular game time to the midfielder, and potentially Premier League football next season, but it might be worth him returning to Anfield at the end of the campaign.

The Oldham-born footballer, who has been capped at England Under-20 level, has plenty of time to decide on the next big step in his career.

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Stoke City are keeping tabs on Leeds United left-back Charlie Taylor ahead of a potential swoop this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

What’s the word?

The 23-year-old was linked with a move away from Elland Road last summer after it became clear that he was not going to sign a new contract.

Liverpool were once rumoured to be keen on capturing the Englishman, and now the Daily Mail claims that Stoke are eyeing a move.

Taylor is believed to be one of many targets, including Andrew Robertson and Josh Tymon, so their interest is not set in stone.

However, a positive factor for potential suitors is that the full-back will come to the end of his Leeds contract this summer.

Should Leeds fight to keep him?

In instances when a player has a matter of months left on his contract, there is not much that a club can do if their mind has already been made up.

Earlier in the season, the thought of losing Taylor was disastrous considering his impressive form, but his injury setback may have been a blessing in disguise.

The young footballer was sidelined in January and a few weeks ago made his return to action.

During that time Gaetano Berardi stepped up and impressed in the role, and has managed to keep his place in the side despite Taylor’s return.

Because of Berardi’s form and the fact that Leeds continued their promotion charge without him, losing Taylor in the summer may not be that damaging.

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Manchester United wobbled to yet another home draw this weekend after they were held to a 0-0 draw by West Brom at Old Trafford.

United huffed and puffed throughout but couldn’t find a way through a stubborn West Brom defence- something United fans have become all too accustomed with seeing this season.

Their fans here in the Tavern were frustrated with another blank and after the game, a seriously ticked off Jose Mourinho had little to say to reporters in a prickly post-match interview.

And it seems that a certain number of United stars could be at serious risk of seeing their time at Old Trafford cut short after some shoddy displays yet again in front of the home faithful.

Even the die-hard United landlord feels like it’s time for a change at Old Trafford and there’s certainly some stars whose careers might be over after the blank.

So with that in mind, here’s the 5 Manchester United stars who should be axed by Jose Mourinho at the end of the season…

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney’s return to the United bench didn’t even seem to count for anything before the game against the Baggies whereas, in the past, any inclusion of the England forward raised eyebrows across the Country.

United fans here in the pub will be eternally grateful for the efforts put in by Rooney across his United career but the fact of the matter is his career at Old Trafford is over.

He’s definitely one that will be looking for pastures new at the end of the season.

Luke Shaw

Luke Shaw can’t buy minutes in this United side for love nor money at the moment and the fact Ashley Young is repeatedly selected over him suggests just how much work he’s got to do to get his United career back on track.

Mourinho certainly won’t be putting his arm around the youngster as he continues to try to get back into the first-team and he’s one of the first players fans here in the pub are predicting to leave if Mourinho has a big overhaul this summer.

Will he be missed that much? Probably not.

Daley Blind

Daley Blind has been out-of-form for months and the Dutch defender doesn’t ever look like fitting the bill under Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.

The Portuguese manager has worked with some of the world’s best throughout his time in management and Blind doesn’t scream top-quality like some of the other defenders Mourinho has developed over his career.

He started on the bench ahead of Rojo against the Baggies and goes even further down the pecking order when Chris Smalling is available too.

Anthony Martial

Old Trafford used to be one of the hardest places to visit in the world, let alone in England and we just haven’t seen enough ruthlessness from the likes of Anthony Martial this campaign.

The French forward was terrific in his first season at the club but this campaign, he’s been slow out of the blocks.

Some of the regular United punters here in the pub have branded him as an “inconsistent talent” and there’s little arguing with that. Seven goals this campaign is poor.

Michael Carrick

As average performances go, Michael Carrick was arguably one of the worst against West Brom and his lack of real star quality was clear for all to see.

Granted, playing in a holding role never wins you the plaudits like playing as a striker does but we’ve seen the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Toni Kroos do this job seriously well for years and moving forward, there are better players out there than the Englishman.

He’s certainly one that might be heading away from Old Trafford this summer.

John Terry announced his departure from Chelsea at the end of the season last night in an emotional post on the club’s official website.

Terry’s exit comes after over two decades at the club, in which he became The Blues’ most decorated ever player, winning four Premier League titles, five FA Cups and three League Cups. He also has Champions League and Europa League medals in his cabinet, too. In total, Terry has made a phenomenal 713 appearances in a Chelsea shirt and scored 66 times.

“The club and I have always had a fantastic relationship, which will continue beyond my playing days. We had some really positive talks but with everything taken into careful consideration I have decided it’s the right time for me to leave.”

“I will decide on my future in due course, but for now I am committed to helping the team achieve success this season.”

The announcement has sparked rumours about where the veteran defender’s future may be. A number of Premier League clubs – including West Brom and Bournemouth – are said to be interested, while a move to either Major League Soccer or the Chinese Super League may also be on the cards.

While fans will be sad to see their captain leave the club, it appears the time is right for Terry to move on, with opportunities limited in a changing Chelsea side.

Finding a replacement will be no easy feat, however, and with a new stadium set to be built in the near future, it is unlikely Chelsea will have the transfer resources to spend big for a suitable successor. So instead, the Blues may have to look at resources already at their disposal.

Terry’s exit could mean these FIVE players benefit at the Bridge…

Andreas Christensen

Andreas Christensen may be given his chance to shine in South West London next season, after revealing he will be returning to his parent club in the summer after spending two years on loan with Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach.

The Danish defender has been excellent during his spell on the continent, so much so that Gladbach hoped that they could make the move permanent come the summer. Christensen has been a solid figure at the back this season, missing only five games all term, however, he hasn’t been able to steer his side clear if having a rather poor domestic season – the Foals currently sit tenth in the table.

Jay DaSilva

A man Ian Wright described as “better than any Premier League full-back” after his performance in the UEFA European Youth League victory against PSG, Jay DaSilva has a bright future ahead of him. Currently on-loan at Charlton Athletic, the 19-year-old has struggled for opportunities, however, he has impressed in recent weeks, especially during the Addicks’ 3-0 beating of Gillingham.

A wing-back by trade, DaSilva will be welcomed back to the Bridge and in the absence of Terry could be given the chance to thrive in what is shaping up to be a youthful Chelsea squad.

Jake Clarke-Salter

John Terry himself named Jake Clarke-Salter as the heir to his throne, so it would only make sense that the youngster would benefit from his exit.

The defender has won three consecutive Youth Cups with Chelsea – an achievement matched only by his team-mate Jay DaSilva and five of Bubsy’s Babes during the 1950s – and he has already made his senior debut following injury to Kurt Zouma at the back end of last season. Bristol Rovers were benefiting from his services until an unfortunate arm break back in November but it is likely he will return to Chelsea for pre-season.

Bristol Rovers were benefiting from his services until an unfortunate arm break back in November, but it is likely he will return to Chelsea for pre-season.

Nathan Ake

Nathan Ake was recalled from his loan spell at Bournemouth in January after having impressed during his time with the Cherries, who have since struggled at the back without the young Englishman.

It seemed for a long time that Ake was destined to be yet another Chelsea youngster who would spend the entirety of his career on-loan, but having proven over the past 18 months he has the ability to perform at the highest level, Terry’s departure means it is more likely than ever he will be given his chance.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

‘Why would a midfielder benefit from the departure of a centre-back?’ you may ask. Terry came into the club as a youngster, and his love for Chelsea showed through, which is why he eventually went on to become captain, a fans’ favourite and a club legend.

When looking for a long-term replacement for Terry, not as a defender, but as a captain, it would mean a great deal to the fans to have one of their own succeed him. Loftus-Cheek, despite his limited opportunities thus far under Antonio Conte, has the potential and the ability to be the future of the club.