At 11pm tonight, the January football transfer window will officially close. So what is the latest in North London?

As far as West Ham is concerned, their business is concluded, following  alleged stories of Frenchman Dimitri Payet refusing to play for the last month.

Sacrificing his January wages, the attacking midfielder is now officially returning to his homeland in a £25m transfer to Marseille.

 

Despite signing a new five-and-a-half year contract with West Ham in 2016, the club’s joint-chairman, Daniel Sullivan, told BBC Radio 5 Live that Payet has ‘not been talking to anyone in the squad’ and ‘The team wanted him out; the manager – with great reluctance – wanted him out.’

‘We think it’s bonded the team better together.’

Although his first season in the Premier League saw him score 12 goals and earn a nomination for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year Award, Payet scored only three goals from September – December 2016.

Fan reaction has been mixed. Although social media analysers Blurrt detected 38% anger and 13% sadness at the loss of Payet, 21% of tweets from Hammers expressed happiness at the loss of a player no longer committed to their cause – but Marseille are no doubt happiest of all.

Sport