Dimitri Payet scouting report: All you need to know about the £10.7m winger who West Ham United have signed

  • Dimitri Payet has a history of forcing through moves to other clubs
  • In May 2010, while at St Etienne he hit his own captain Blaise Matuidi during an on-the-field altercation
  • Payet has 15 France caps to date since he was first called up in 2010

By Chris Wheeler for MailOnline

Published: 06:19 EST, 26 June 2015 | Updated: 10:26 EST, 26 June 2015

West Ham have clinched a £10.7million deal to sign France midfielder Dimitri Payet from Marseille after the player flew into London to undergo a medical and agreed personal terms.

So what kind of a player will the Hammers be getting? 

Sportsmail looks at the 28-year-old from Reunion island and his chequered past.

Dimitri Payet poses with a 'Come On You Irons' branded ball at Upton Park after signing for West Ham

Dimitri Payet poses with a 'Come On You Irons' branded ball at Upton Park after signing for West Ham

 

So negotiations between West Ham and Marseille went smoothly?

Not really. 

Marseille didn't want to sell the player and felt their hand was forced by Payet and his representatives.

The French club even went to the length of issuing a statement claiming they had an agreement with Payet to discuss a new contract in mid July, but were priced out of a deal when his agent met with Marseille president Vincent Labrune on Monday. 

They are furious that West Ham held talks with their player, offering Payet wages of £21.4m over six years according to their statement, and refused to match these 'reckless demands.'

 West Ham have stumped up £10.7million for Marseille's 28-year-old midfielder (right)

 West Ham have stumped up £10.7million for Marseille's 28-year-old midfielder (right)

But he doesn’t have any history of forcing through moves to other clubs?

Hmmm. 

He attempted to get a move from St Etienne to Paris Saint-Germain in January 2011 when Chelsea and Liverpool were also showing an interest. 

Payet didn’t show up for training to try and engineer the transfer but only succeeded in getting himself dumped in the reserves. 

He joined St Etienne in the first place after handing in a transfer request at Nantes when they were relegated in 2007, securing a £3m move and a four-year contract at his new club.

Payet didn’t show up for training in an attempt to engineer a move to Paris Saint-Germain while at St Etienne

Payet didn’t show up for training in an attempt to engineer a move to Paris Saint-Germain while at St Etienne

Where else has he played?

Payet joined Lille from St Etienne in the summer of 2011 for £6.5m plus add-ons, and stayed there for two years before signing for Marseille for £7.8m.

He started out playing youth football on Reunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean, where he was born. 

He joined Le Harve at the age of 12 but later returned home to play in the Reunion Premier League – the sixth tier of French football – with AS Excelsior before signing for Nantes.

Payet joined Lille from St Etienne in the summer of 2011 for £6.5m plus add-ons

Payet joined Lille from St Etienne in the summer of 2011 for £6.5m plus add-ons

What kind of player is he?

Probably best at No10 but he can play on both wings as well. 

He has scored 15 goals in two years for Marseille and only three players – Kevin De Bruyne, Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas – had more assists than him in the top European leagues last season. 

He has a strong work ethic and really came into his own after Marcelo Bielsa took over as Marseille coach last summer, enjoying arguably the best season of his career.

And what kind of temperament has he got?

There have been questions over his discipline and attitude to training at times. 

It was a reputation Payet earned as a kid during four turbulent years at Le Havre which led to his return to Reunion. 

When Nantes took him back to the mainland, they insisted on a clause in his contract stipulating that it could be cancelled after six months. 

As recently as last December, Bielsa dropped him because of his lack of motivation in training.

On the pitch, he can be quite fiery. 

In May 2010, he hit his own captain Blaise Matuidi during an on-the-field altercation in a defeat to Toulouse. 

Payet was subbed and subsequently censured by his club. 

In March, he was banned for angrily remonstrating with the match officials as they left the pitch after Marseille had a goal ruled out against Lyon.

In May 2010, Payet hit his own St Etienne captain Blaise Matuidi during an on-the-field altercation

In May 2010, Payet hit his own St Etienne captain Blaise Matuidi during an on-the-field altercation

It hasn’t stopped him playing with Matuidi for France?

No, Payet has 15 international caps to date since he was first called him up in 2010 for the Euro 2012 qualifiers matches against Romania and Luxembourg. 

He came on as a substitute in both games and helped set up two goals for Yoann Gourcuff. 

He didn’t make the final squads for Euro 2012 or the World Cup last summer, but West Ham are clearly getting a player of real quality.

Payet has played for France's senior team 15 times and will hope to add to that number while in East London

Payet has played for France's senior team 15 times and will hope to add to that number while in East London

 

 

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