West Ham captain Mark Noble has said he will be “shocked” if Dimitri Payet leaves the club during next month’s transfer window.
There has been much speculation over Payet’s future in recent months and a number of clubs have been linked with the 29-year-old Frenchman, including Manchester United, Paris St-Germain and his former side Marseille.
But Noble does not expect him to be sold by the Hammers in January.
“You never know what happens in football,” midfielder Noble told Sky Sports News HQ.
“I’m pretty sure that Dimi doesn’t want to come out and say too much. What he has said has maybe been twisted a little bit, even though he has said it.
“But I will be shocked if I see him go before the end of January. I’m pretty sure it would have to be a healthy bid to get him away from us.
“Can we afford to lose him? No, not really, because it’s been proven that he’s one of the best players in the world at the minute.”
The Daily Telegraph suggested on Wednesday that West Ham are “becoming increasingly resigned” to losing Payet at the end of the season if they manage to keep him during the January window.