West Ham refuse to sell Dimitri Payet despite midfielder’s refusal to play for Hammers
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic insists the club will not sell Dimitri Payet despite the France midfielder refusing to play in tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace.
Payet, a £10.7m signing from Marseille in 2015, is thought to be the subject of renewed interest from former side Marseille.
The 29-year-old signed a bumper new deal through to 2021 with the east London club less than a year ago, while his 125,000-week contract made him the highest-paid player in West Ham’s history.
“We have a situation with a player, Dimitri Payet. He wants to leave,” said Bilic. “The club don’t want to sell him. We have said hundreds of times we don’t want to sell our best players. He’s definitely our best player.
“That’s why we gave him a long contract, and then a new contract a few months after he joined. I phoned him with that and he refused to play for us.
“He’s probably been tapped up by some clubs or whatever. That is usual at this time of year. But until he changes his attitude he is out of the team and he’s not going to train with us.
“We are not going to sell him. I expect him to come back and show commitment and determination to the team, like the team has shown to him.
“I feel angry. This team, the boys and the staff, gave everything, they were always there for him. I am feeling let down and angry. I have to look after my team, who are very committed and we can’t let this happen, no way, never.”
Payet has only scored twice in 18 Premier League appearances this season, having netted 12 across all competitions last term which earned him a nomination for the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year award.