West Ham Keep Hold of Dimitri Payet After Interested Club Fail to Meet £100m Evaluation

Published on: 31 August 2016

Against all odds, West Ham have retained star player Dimitri Payet despite months of speculation linking the France midfielder with a move away from east London.


Payet was a catalyst for an incredible season for the Hammers, which saw them finish in 7th, high enough to reach the Europa League qualification stages.

The 29-year-old went on to shine at Euro 2016, scoring three goals before France fell to defeat in the final against Portugal. And now, with the window closed, representatives at the club are thrilled with what might be considered their best bit of business this summer.


Jack Sullivan, who is co-chairman David Sullivan's son, admitted that only one club enquired about Payet, but Sullivan told Essex radio station PhoenixFM that it was "no deal, unless someone paid £100m".


The reluctance of the interested party to pay £100m for Payet eventually saw their interest withdrawn. Payet joined West Ham for just £10.7m from Marseille last summer.

Jack Sullivan's words echo those of his father, who spoke to the "?Daily Mirror in July: "Payet is not for sale.


"Just because a big club wants him, tough luck. He is worth £100m. Even at his age. He's under contract. There might be six weeks of silliness when he bangs the table. But if you believe what he says, he wants to stay.


"If someone wants to break the world record (for him) we might consider it. Because it's not then one-sided.

One club made an enquiry for Dimitri Payet this summer. David Sullivan demanded £100m or no deal. [@jsullivanwhu] pic.twitter.com/mL7OqYNsPV

"The one-sided deal is if somebody comes in with £30-40m, offers the player double the money he's on and the player wants to go. We get ripped off. Why should that be the case? We're not going to stand for it.


"We've given him a new contract. If he's still doing what he's doing now at Christmas or the end of the season we might give him another new contract.


"But he's only just signed a new contract four months ago and I don't see that a few games for France entitles a new contract after four months."


Payet is expected to start in France's upcoming Friendly against Italy, before returning to the West Ham squad next weekend to face Watford at the London Stadium.


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