Newcastle United flop Florian Thauvin could be set to return to the Premier League, according to reports.
The 26-year-old forward joined the Magpies for £13million during the summer of 2015 and lasted just six months on Tyneside during a disastrous spell before he returned to Marseille, initially on loan, and then permanently.
Since heading back to the Stade Velodrome, Thauvin has flourished, scoring 60 goals in 146 appearances, as well as helping France to lift the World Cup in 2018, even if he largely played a peripheral role in Les Bleus' success.
Despite being linked to the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund in recent months, Sky Sports claims that Thauvin has been "offered" to West Ham United in part-exchange for striker Javier Hernandez.
The report alleges that Marseille want £36m plus Mexico forward Hernandez in return for Thauvin heading to the London Stadium.
West Ham sold Marko Arnautovic to Shanghai SIPG for £22.4m earlier in the week and look set to miss out on top target Maxi Gomez, who is reportedly on the verge of joining Valencia from Celta Vigo, and that is why Thauvin has been offered to the east London club.
Should Thauvin head back to the Premier League then he will hope to prove himself in the English top flight on this occasion, following a chastening spell on Tyneside.
Former Magpies chief scout Graham Carr championed the signing of the Frenchman, who had shown his undoubted talent at Bastia and then Marseille.
However, Thauvin was reluctant to join Newcastle in the first place and then failed to settle in the North East. Then-head coach Steve McClaren was never convinced that Thauvin had the physicality and application to succeed in England, either.
After the Frenchman was booed by a section of his own away supporters during a defeat at Vicarage Road in January 2016, he then returned to Marseille on an initial six-month loan, before the Ligue 1 club agreed to buy him back on a permanent basis.
Ex-Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez did attempt to convince Thauvin to stay, but the forward had already decided he wanted to move back to France.
