BY EDIALE KINGSLEY
DIMITRI Payet has been simply outstanding thus far in the Euros, producing two talismanic displays for France and contributing with two wonderful goals.
If he continues in this vein, it will be hard for anyone to usurp him as Player of the Tournament, and even harder to see any team beating the hosts to the trophy.
The 29-year-old has an eye-catching combination of pace, power, and nimble footwork that allows him to ghost past opponents and produce simply stunning individual moments. Adding to that, his dead ball ability is up there with the best in the world, and any team would jump at the chance to have him taking aim from the edge of the area. Sure, any suitors would have to fork out “ridiculous money”, according to his agent Mark McKay, but in this day and age, teams are prepared to do just that to improve their starting XI.
Chelsea and PSG are just two of the clubs being linked with Payet’s signature, and both have the finances to produce a bid that might just turn West Ham’s heads.
West Ham are the team that are lucky enough to have his services at this moment in time, and whilst they will be joyously cheering on their talisman, it might soon become a bittersweet situation for the east London club.
Despite signing a new long-term deal towards the back end of the 2015/16 season, it is still possible that Payet could depart this summer if an irresistible offer arises from one of the world’s biggest clubs. It has been a remarkable rise for the Frenchman, who cost the Hammers little over £10 million in the summer from Marseille, where he was not heralded in anything like the manner he is being now and even struggled to break into the France squad.
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The Premier League has allowed him to flourish and given him the platform he needed to excel and show the world just how exceptional a player he is. As for Payet himself, his agent has stated that he is happy at West Ham; “As far as I am concerned, he’s been happy at West Ham and it’s down to West Ham that he’s in the position that he is in,” he told Sky Sports News.
West Ham fans certainly have reason to worry that their star man is being hunted by the top clubs in world football, but the player himself seems genuinely grateful to the club and that could just see him stay for another season at least.
The club is on the up, and with a big new stadium and European football next season, along with a squad that is arguably one of the best in the club’s history, there are legitimate reasons for Payet to stay.
The Hammers have a genuine chance to be the next club to break the hegemony of the traditional top teams in England, with owners willing to invest money in the playing squad, and a rising ability to attract top players. The signing of Sofiane Feghouli this week, who had offers from multiple Champions League teams, is just the start of a summer of spending that should see them return a positive first season at the Olympic Stadium.
It will certainly be interesting to see what unfolds with Payet this summer in what could be a long-lasting transfer saga and although his brilliance on the pitch could be what sees him leave West Ham, every Hammers supporter would love to see their man continue his fine form.