West Ham United manager Slaven Bilić claims last season’s Player of the Year Dimitri Payet is refusing to play for the club.
The French international, who came on as a substitute in last week’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester City, but has been linked to Manchester United and Marseille.
“We have said we don’t want to sell our best players but Dimitri Payet does not want to play for us,” Bilić said in a press conference ahead of West Ham’s Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace, but insisted the club was not looking to sell their prized asset
“I spoke to the Chairman and this is not a money issue. We gave [Payet] a long contract because we want him to stay.”
SB: "We have said we don't want to sell our best players but @dimpayet17 does not want to play for us. We are not going to sell him.
— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 12, 2017
SB: "I spoke to the Chairman and this is not a money issue. We gave him a long contract because we want him to stay.
— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 12, 2017
Payet was the club’s top scorer last season with 12 goals in all competitions, and has scored three times in the current campaign.
He has also been one of the best creators of chances across the entire Premier League this season, with six assists in 19 league appearances.
West Ham fans have not taken kindly to the news, although some appreciate that it will be tough to hold on to such a talented player with the club having been in in the bottom half of the Premier League table since August.
Why keep him? Get £40m for him and get players who actually want to play for us
— West Ham Transfers (@westhamtransfer) January 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/Andyinexile/status/819492648218165249
https://twitter.com/whu_tweets/status/819490034931875840
well let's sell him! Going through a bad patch and he's head is gone! Not the right attitude fuck him off asap
— RB (@Burkosss) January 12, 2017
