According to claims from French outlet Le10 Sport (h/t Leeds Live), former West Ham star Dimitri Payet turned down the opportunity to join Premier League newcomers Leeds United earlier this summer.
As per the report, Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa spoke to the 33-year-old Frenchman to try and convince him to move to Elland Road. However, the veteran playmaker expressed his desire to continue playing at Marseille in his homeland.
Dimitri Payet is very much a household name in European football and hardly requires an introduction to any football fan across the continent. The diminutive playmaker made over 350 career appearances for the likes of Nantes, Saint-Etienne, Lille, and Marseille in France before earning a chance to impress in English football with West Ham.
The 33-year-old enjoyed a stunning debut season in East London, bagging 9 goals and 12 assists in 30 Premier League appearances during the 2015-16 campaign. He added a further 2 goals and 6 assists to his league tally for the Hammers in the following campaign before returning to his former club Marseille in January 2017.
Payet has since scored 33 goals in 130 appearances during his second spell at Marseille, having played a key role in the club’s march to the final of the 2017-18 Europa League.
Leeds United have already sent out a strong statement of intent to their new rivals in the top-flight with the club-record acquisition of Rodrigo Moreno from Valencia. The Spaniard is expected to usurp Patrick Bamford in the No.9 role, while his versatility to operate in a withdrawn No.10 role also comes as a boost to Bielsa’s dynamics.
Jack Harrison and Helder Costa both impressed in the Whites’ 4-3 opening day defeat against reigning champions Liverpool this weekend. Both players are expected to play a key role for the club in the top-flight this season, but neither has an awful lot of English top-flight experience under their belt.
Pablo Hernandez is the only attacking midfielder with previous Premier League experience and it would certainly be a good idea for Leeds to bring in a few more players who tick that crucial box. Dimitri Payet is nearing his twilight at 33 but he presents a solid short-term fix for the Whites, who need more experience to perform well.
A track record of 11 goals and 19 assists in 48 Premier League appearances for West Ham speaks for itself while Payet’s versatility to play out wide on the left and through the middle would offer Bielsa with quality cover in multiple areas across the forward line.
Dimitri Payet hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down despite his advancing years. The Frenchman managed 12 goals and 6 assists in 27 appearances last season, which clearly indicates that he still has plenty to offer at the highest level.
Leeds have already been rebuffed by the playmaker once this summer but they shouldn’t hesitate to go back in the market for his services with a better offer on the table.