West Ham are increasingly minded to sell Dimitri Payet before the end of the January transfer window with Marseille keen to bring the 29-year-old back to Ligue 1.

When Slaven Bilic first revealed Payet had demanded a transfer the West Ham manager insisted that he would not allow his star player to leave mid-season but recent days have seen the club look more favourably on the prospect.

A 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace that ranked among the Hammers' best performances of the season offered a timely reminder that there is enough quality to survive a potential Payet exit, attacking players Michail Antonio, Manuel Lanzini and Andy Carroll all thriving without West Ham’s chief creator.

West Ham fans’ furious reaction to Payet’s refusal to ever play for the club again was apparent at the London Stadium on Saturday – a steward had to be deployed to protect a mural of the Frenchman – and though supporter fury will not dictate transfer policy it only served to suggest that there is no way back for Payet, who only a few weeks ago was the club’s most beloved star.

Standard Sport also understands that Payet’s willingness to fake an injury should he be made to play against his will has encouraged West Ham to consider moving the French international on in January; six months out of the first team will doubtless do no good to the value of a player who turns 30 before the end of the season.

Payet’s former club Marseille are leading the chase for their former player, with reports in France claiming they had already had a £19.1million bid rejected by West Ham, who paid £11m for him in the summer of 2015.

Newly flush with investment from American billionaire Frank McCourt Marseille’s interest is unlikely to end with one offer and it has also been reported that the Ligue 1 side intend to hold talks with West Ham officials next week.

West Ham's January transfer targets 9 show all West Ham's January transfer targets 1/9 West Ham are on the lookout for reinforcements but who has caught their eye? Standard Sport examines the candidates below West Ham United via Getty Images 2/9 Jose Fonte | Signed The Euro 2016 winner has agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal at London Stadium. (Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images) 3/9 Robert Snodgrass | Hull City Getty Images 4/9 Scott Hogan | Brentford Getty Images 5/9 Jermain Defoe | Sunderland AFP/Getty Images 6/9 Moussa Dembele | Celtic Bongarts/Getty Images 7/9 Glen Johnson | Stoke City Mike Hewitt/Getty Images 8/9 Marouane Fellaini | Manchester United Emmanuel Dunande/AFP/Getty Images 9/9 Asmir Begovic | Chelsea Getty Images 1/9 West Ham are on the lookout for reinforcements but who has caught their eye? Standard Sport examines the candidates below West Ham United via Getty Images 2/9 Jose Fonte | Signed The Euro 2016 winner has agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal at London Stadium. (Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images) 3/9 Robert Snodgrass | Hull City Getty Images 4/9 Scott Hogan | Brentford Getty Images 5/9 Jermain Defoe | Sunderland AFP/Getty Images 6/9 Moussa Dembele | Celtic Bongarts/Getty Images 7/9 Glen Johnson | Stoke City Mike Hewitt/Getty Images 8/9 Marouane Fellaini | Manchester United Emmanuel Dunande/AFP/Getty Images 9/9 Asmir Begovic | Chelsea Getty Images

West Ham’s vice-chairman Karren Brady indicated a softening of the club’s stance that Payet would not be sold yesterday, writing in the Sun that “probably sooner rather than later he will be on his way”.

Payet’s departure is likely to trigger renewed interest from West Ham in Robert Snodgrass. Hull rejected a £3m bid for the winger on January 6.

The Hammers are also keen to recruit striker Scott Hogan, though Brentford have remained steadfast in their demands for £15m despite leaving him out of their defeat to Newcastle.