West Ham wins will hasten Dimitri Payet exit, says Andy Dunn on Sunday Supplement
Sunday 15 January 2017 11:20, UK
West Ham’s impressive performance against Crystal Palace could accelerate Dimitri Payet’s departure, said The Mirror’s Andy Dunn on the Sunday Supplement.
Payet’s future is up in the air after manager Slaven Bilic said he has refused to play for the club.
He was not involved on Saturday against Palace, and the Hammers did not seem to miss him as they won 3-0 at the London Stadium.
“The result yesterday almost sealed the deal, a couple more of those results and why not sell him?” asked Dunn on the Sunday Supplement.
“That result and performance, especially in the last 20 minutes, is almost a game-changer in how West Ham can feel.
“There doesn’t look to be a way back because of his attitude and the fact it has clearly been a downing of tools…But I don’t think financially he will get a better long-term contract that he has at West Ham.”
Payet was linked with a move to La Liga in the summer after impressing as Euro 2016 with France, but is now reportedly looking to return to Marseille.
The Daily Telegraph’s Sam Wallace thinks in the future he might regret leaving West Ham.
“It’s sad, and when I see ex-players as they get older they really value that relationship with the fans and it means something,” he said.
“It’s a wonderful thing to have for the rest of your life and I don’t think these young men sometimes understand what they are chucking away and maybe 10-15 years down the road he will realise that.
“It was a big deal in the summer to hang on to him, but really Europe’s biggest clubs knew what Dimitri Payet was like and that’s why there wasn’t a big bid. They weren’t clinging on to him at the end of August; that never materialised.”
The Sun's Shaun Custis said he does not think there is any way back for Payet at West Ham.
"I think there’s a bit of a realisation at West Ham and Payet has detected he might get the move he wants to Marseille if he sticks at it," he said.
"Clearly the players don’t want anything to do with him. He is clearly ostracised by the group and I don’t think there is any way back for Payet, it’s not there."
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