Dimitri Payet to be offered bumper new West Ham deal in bid to ward off Manchester United interest

DIMITRI PAYET is in line for a new deal at West Ham – just nine months after signing his last contract.

The Hammers’ star man is the club’s highest paid player on a whopping £125,000-a-week.

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But there have already been tentative talks about bumping the France midfielder even higher up the pay scale to keep him out of the clutches of rival clubs.

West Ham chiefs have told Payet that he must first prove he is worth a salary hike by scoring more goals – hoping he will start in Wednesday’s EFL Cup quarter final at Manchester United.

The free kick wizard has hit the net only twice this season with the last one coming against Middlesbrough on October 1 – a spectacular solo effort.

But Payet’s creativity and set-piece skills plus a good show for his country at Euro 2016 have triggered interest from other clubs with tonight’s opponents the latest to be linked with him.

Payet, 29, has been at West Ham for less than 18 months but has already had one new contract – a £50,000-a-week rise in February.

West Ham are struggling at the bottom end of the Premier League and Payet is seen as the main man to drag them out of trouble.

The player has refused to rule out leaving but a new contract and more money would tie him to the club for the rest of his career.