Payet Going Home

[bennythedip2]

Dimitri Payet fee agreed - - (January 29th 2017)

West Ham have agreed a £25million fee with Marseille for the sale of Dimitri Payet, the Premier League club have announced.


The 29-year-old has expressed his desire to leave the Hammers and has not appeared for Slaven Bilic's side since refusing to play against Crystal Palace on January 14.

A statement on West Ham's Twitter page said: "West Ham United can confirm that a £25m fee has today been agreed for the transfer of Dimitri Payet to Olympique de Marseille."

France international Payet, who arrived from Marseille in the summer of 2015, was a big hit in his first season with the London club, scoring 12 times in 38 appearances.

He also agreed a lucrative new contract until 2021 before starring for his country as they reached the final of Euro 2016 on home soil.

But things turned sour earlier this month when Payet angered his boss Bilic by requesting a transfer and declining to be picked against Palace.

His wish now looks to have been granted and a return to Ligue 1 imminent, despite the Hammers' initial reluctance to sell him.

Payet, who has also played for Nantes, St Etienne and Lille, had been forced to train away from the first team as the saga surrounding his future dragged on.

The Premier League club, meanwhile, have suffered no ill-effects on the pitch, winning against the Eagles and following it up with a 3-1 success at Middlesbrough to continue their climb up the table after a slow start to the season.

Boss Bilic has also been able to strengthen his squad with the acquisitions of Southampton defender Jose Fonte and Hull winger Robert Snodgrass.

[Part-Timer]

Why football fans support these types is beyond me. They sign multimillion pound contracts then renege on them.

[Dobie2089]

Originally Posted by Part-Timer

Why football fans support these types is beyond me. They sign multimillion pound contracts then renege on them.

To be fair to Payet , from what ive read and heard ...his family couldn't settle in London and have already moved back to France and hes taking a wage cut to go to Marseille ...

[Part-Timer]

Originally Posted by Dobie2089

To be fair to Payet , from what ive read and heard ...his family couldn't settle in London and have already moved back to France and hes taking a wage cut to go to Marseille ...

That might well be the case but why did he refuse to play. Should of explained his position, played to the end of the season and gone with everyone's blessing

[Dobie2089]

Originally Posted by Part-Timer

That might well be the case but why did he refuse to play. Should of explained his position, played to the end of the season and gone with everyone's blessing

I agree , but we don't know what stance exactly behind the scenes west ham were taking ...seems like an amicable solution ..but if they were like , nope sorry , you'll play out your contract here even if that means you play in the reserves , then they've sort of forced his hand ...all supposition obv , cos we don't have a hidden camera in the west ham board room . Just think that he must have felt backed into a corner to take the action of refusing to play .

[bennythedip2]

Payet: I had to return to France - (****) (January 30 2017)

New Marseille signing Dimitri Payet insists he needed to return to France after becoming unhappy at West Ham following one "exceptional" year with the club.


Payet was presented by Marseille on Monday afternoon after completing a £25million move back to the Stade Velodrome on Sunday.

The France international was initially a big hit for West Ham, scoring 12 goals in his first season after joining from Marseille in the summer of 2015, but he left the Premier League club under a cloud having not featured since refusing to play in a match against Crystal Palace on January 14.

West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan admitted he was disappointed with the behaviour of the 29-year-old - who signed a long-term contract last year - and would have preferred for him to remain at the club to be 'made an example of'.

However, Payet was allowed to leave London in the 'interests of squad unity' and he has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Marseille.

Speaking at his presentation, reported by the club's Twitter account, Payet said: "I was no longer happy at West Ham, I had to come back home. I still have fond memories of the West Ham supporters.

"Coming back to Marseille is a personal choice.

"I am very happy to come back here. It's a place I know well.

"I wanted to come back here and be part of this project."

Payet joins a Marseille side that are sixth in Ligue 1 on 33 points, four adrift of fourth-placed Lyon but 13 away from Paris St Germain in third.

Payet, who spent two seasons at Marseille before joining West Ham, added: "The goal is to get into Europe. Getting into the top three is going to be difficult."

Meanwhile, West Ham are offering to take Payet replica shirts back and replace them at a discounted rate of £25.

Payet was named as the club's player of the year for the 2015/16 campaign - his only full season as a Hammer - and had proved an instant hit with supporters.

Now vice-chairman Karren Brady has promised all those who have Payet's name printed on this season's shirt that they can exchange it for a blank one, at a cost.

"Morning, bring back your Payet shirt to any of the club shops & you will get a new replacement for £25, full details on WHU web site today," she tweeted in reply to a question about shirt costs.

The move, while greeted with praise from some quarters, was also heavily criticised by others as they felt paying £25 for a shirt which is expected to be replaced in the summer and had in any case already been reduced from £55 to £36.66 was an unfair ask more than halfway through its shelf-life.

West Ham are back in action on Wednesday night when they face Manchester City at the London Stadium, and new £10.2million recruit Robert Snodgrass is in line to make his debut in that match after training with his new team-mates for the first time on Monday.

Jose Fonte, the central defender signed by Southampton earlier in the window, could also make his bow against Pep Guardiola's men.