With next year’s Premier League fixture list just five days away, Loic Remy is coming under pressure to quit Chelsea.

His two-goal flourish against Sunderland suggested that Jose Mourinho might have done better to put his faith in the French striker, rather than nostalgically opt for Didier Drogba on recent occasions when Diego Costa was missing.

Now Remy – despite having a contract at Stamford Bridge until the end of August 2018 – is being courted by new West Ham boss Slaven Bilic, who would be prepared to pay considerably more than the £8.5m it cost to buy the 28-year-old from QPR a year ago.

What might tempt Remy is the chance to make more than the half dozen Premier League starts that Jose granted him in the entire season.

Being saddled with a reputation as a game-changing supersub is not something that appeals to Remy, but Mourinho is unlikely to be able to offer much more regular first-team football in the coming year as his sights are set on hiring a new front man to alternate with Costa.

That despite the fact that it was a Remy spectacular which won the recent Blues’ friendly in Oz.

Other clubs are said to be monitoring £80,000-a-week Remy’s situation include Southampton, Crystal Palace and Swansea.

Murmurs within Chelsea suggest other members of the Blues’ coaching staff are keener to keep and develop Remy at Stamford Bridge than is Mourinho, although even he purred with pleasure after witnessing the striker’s Sydney winner.

If West Ham make a bid for Remy, they will move swiftly as their Europa League campaign begins in three weeks.

What could swing a deal for the Irons is the possibility of 25-year-old Enner Valencia travelling in the opposite direction from Upton Park.

Mourinho, who has been linked with a pursuit of Radamel Falcao, will make a firm decision within a week.

Bridge Banter is now taking a summer break.