Liam Payne asks DJ Alesso to replace Zayn Malik as One Direction reunion stalls

Fans hoping for a full One Direction reunion featuring all five founding members might need to put those hopes on ice as Liam Payne has suggested Zayn Malik could be replaced.

This year marks a full decade since 26-year-old Liam and 27-year-old Zayn found fame alongside Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson when they formed One Direction on The X Factor in 2010.

And while many fans having been wishing on the stars that the fab five will reunite to commemorate the landmark year, it would seem the outlook for a full reunion is bleak.

Liam gave the heaviest hint yet that Zayn is rejecting pleas to regroup with the other members – and has instead started offering out replacement roles to other musicians.

Liam Payne has suggested Zayn Malik could be replaced in One Direction (Getty Images)

Speaking to 28-year-old Swedish music star DJ Alesso over Instagram, Liam reacted with an offer when the fellow musician asked him what is going on with the 1D reunion plans.

“Most of us are in London. We've been trying to arrange the first group FaceTime at the moment,” Liam said.

He then added: “You can come and fill in for Zayn. Join the band!”

Zayn was the first to quit One Direction before the band split in 2015 (COPYRIGHT UNKNOWN)

Plans for a One Direction reunion have been controversial – with a war breaking out between Simon Cowell and talk-show host James Corden over who would host such an event.

Simon is arguably the founding force of 1D after putting the band together on The X Factor after deeming the boys too weak to be individual successes on the show.

While James is a close friend of the group and his Carpool Karaoke segment on his US talkshow the Late Late Show is said to be appealing to the lads.

Swedish DJ Alesso has been invited to replace Zayn in One Direction (GC Images)

Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Harry Styles are the original members of One Direction (Getty Images for DCP)

“Cowell and Corden are now in a battle for who gets One Direction to perform together again first,” a source told The Mirror last week.

“Simon was their mentor who first had the idea of putting them together as a group and they are one of the most successful acts from one of his shows,” the source continued.

“But while all the One Direction boys adore Simon and enjoy working with him, there are other TV shows today,” they added.

One Direction split in 2015 – while Zayn was the first to quit the band in search of a less stressful life, and subsequently topped charts with his solo music.