West Ham pin 50 million price tag on Payet
AFP
AFP, LONDON: French star playmaker Dimitri Payets impressive performances at Euro 2016 will cost potential suitors at least 50million ($65m, 58m euros) David Gold the co-chairman of his Premier League club West Ham told the BBC on Monday.
The 29-year-old Frenchman who sparkled for The Hammers last season scoring nine goals in 30 appearances had a memorable Euro campaign scoring some spectacular goals with his tears when he came off in the opening victory over Romania one of the standout moments.
Despite ending up on the losing side in the final against Portugal his most notable contribution an early challenge on Cristiano Ronaldo that ended with the Portuguese superstar going off injured he is bound to attract offers.
Super clubs would come after a player of his ability, Gold told BBC Radio.
We wouldnt even listen to an offer less than 50m.
The club needs to keep their best players and dont welcome any offers for Payet.
Hes instrumental, hes important, the team is built round him.
Hes not for sale.
Gold said Payet had taken to London really well since joining from Ligue 1 outfit Marseille last year and got on really well with manager Slaven Bilic.
You make him as happy as you can, said Gold when asked how to ensure he stays.
He has a great relationship with the manager.
Hes settled in London, as is his family and the fans adore him.
Weve done everything we possibly can.
Another report from Tehran adds: Payet was enemy number one in Portugal when he clattered into Cristiano Ronaldo in a hefty challenge that saw the Portuguese talisman eventually stretchered off in tears from the Euro 2016 final.
But the French playmaker also in that instant made sworn enemies much farther away on Sunday in Iran.
Real Madrid forward Ronaldo is a hero and icon to football-mad Iranian fans and they quickly made their feelings known to Payet, flooding his Instagram account with accusations he had intentionally hobbled Ronaldo, even though the referee did not rule it a foul.
A stream of abusive posts on Instagram came Payets way in Persian, with insults that included branding him a son of a dog.
But not everyone agreed with the abuse, with at least one poster asking for forgiveness from all Iranians.
Portugal, Ronaldo and his Iranian fan club had the last laugh, however, as the Portuguese went on to beat Payet and his France side 1-0.
Earlier, Payet insisted there was no malice in his tackle that forced Cristiano Ronaldo out of Sundays Euro 2016 final.
No, it was a challenge, thats all, period, Payet told reporters after the match. I regained the possession and if I hurt him it was not intentional.
Its not in my nature to be a bad guy on the pitch. There is no question about it.
Were disappointed, he said. We were under the impression we were the ones with the possession and the better chances but we missed that goal that could unblock the situation. On the very few chances they got, they were able to score.
A goal decided all. A goal that we couldnt score ourselves. The Portuguese side were more efficient.
I think that if we could have scored we could have forced them to play more offensively and we could have counter-attacked. At the end that goal is cruel.
