Marseille’s best player last season has moved to West Ham, Etienne Capoue has given up Spurs for Watford, Xherdan Shaqiri could be off to Stoke City and Crystal Palace are hoping to buy Yohan Cabaye. The TV money is in full flow

The transfer window is barely a week old but it’s already shaping up to be an odd one as far as the Premier League is concerned. A number of speculated high-profile rumours look set to rumble on, as ever, but – perhaps influenced by the dramatic surge in TV revenue available to the clubs – some clubs that usually have modest resources are attempting to flex their newly vitalised muscles in the market.Here are that seem or would have seemed ludicrous not long ago.



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This is the sort of signing West Ham need to be making to compete on four fronts this season but it remains a genuine coup nonetheless. Payet, who is a regular fixture in Didier Deschamps’ France squads, was at his very best for Marseille last season, with a rating of 7.62 comfortably his best in the last five years and enough to rank as the fourth highest in Ligue 1 last season.

The playmaker, now 28, is at the peak of his creative powers, with his tally of 17 assists a runaway league high. Only Kevin De Bruyne (20), Lionel Messi and Cesc Fàbregas (18) managed more in Europe’s top five leagues. That Payet created at least 22 more chances than any other player across those leagues last season proves the sort of quality that West Ham have recruited. It’s somewhat bizarre that there wasn’t more interest in the former Marseille man.

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To many fans of the Premier League the transfer of Etienne Capoue to Watford may not seem like a big deal but any suggestion of his arrival at Vicerage Road would have been laughed off before his disappointing stint at Spurs. You only need to look back to the 2012-13 season to see just what a prospect the former Toulouse midfielder was. He looked likely to cement his place in France’s squad for many years to come before his £9m move to Spurs.

Two years ago Capoue ended the Ligue 1 campaign with the second highest rating in France (7.53) – behind only Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He was averaging the second most passes per game in the French top flight and had a direct hand in 10 goals (seven goals and three assists). A move to Spurs, amid apparent long-term interest from rivals Arsenal, seemed like something of a coup at the time, but injuries, fractious relationships with some managers and his playing style saw the 26-year-old make just 19 league starts in two seasons at White Hart Lane.

His approach was too laboured for Mauricio Pochettino, who demands high-intensity football but he could be a real asset to a Watford side that will benefit from a calming influence in the middle of the park.



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Stoke City have come a long way in recent seasons, developing from a physically imposing side to one that also boasts genuine flair in advanced areas, but buying Xherdan Shaqiri would represent their biggest step up in terms of intent yet. The former Bayern Munich winger was tipped to become one of Europe’s finest players before his move to the Allianz Arena but the continued form of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry made his progression to first team regular nigh on impossible. A move to Internazionale followed this January but, having made just eight league starts since his arrival, there seems to be no place for the youngster in Roberto Mancini’s system.

The Switzerland international is reportedly willing to move to the Britannia but wants a release clause in the deal that would allow him to move to any interested Champions League clubs next summer. The stocky playmaker has the physical attributes to fit the mould at Stoke but would add real quality to their swelling attacking ranks that already boast Bojan Krkić and Marko Arnautović.

By no means a lost cause, Shaqiri’s ability was clear for all to see at last summer’s World Cup, when he scored three times and averaged more key passes per game than any other player at the tournament (4.3) for a rating of 7.74.

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While Alan Pardew’s former relationship with Yohan Cabaye has undoubtedly fuelled the speculation linking the PSG midfielder to Palace it’s a rumour that continues to run. The France international has had a tough time back in his homeland since his big-money move last January and is known to be up for grabs. A lot of clubs will be interested but Pardew’s new club hope to secure a sensational swoop for the former Lille and Newcastle skipper.

Despite admitting that he struggled with life in the north east early on in his time at Newcastle, Cabaye is now thought to be open to a return to England. Palace lack a true creator, despite the impressive form of Jason Puncheon since a move infield, and are keen to consolidate their position in the league after a phenomenal finish last season. They think Cabaye could be the man to ensure they fight to retain their place in the top half of the league.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a fantastic start to the 2013-14 Premier League season, scoring seven goals – including four from distance – in 19 appearances for a team-high rating of 7.48. He could flourish once more if afforded the protection that Palace’s midfield counterparts can offer and he will be desperate for regular playing time before Euro 2016 in his native France.

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