The pundit prefers one of Leicester’s stars over the West Ham playmaker.
Charlie Nicholas has picked Dimitri Payet as his second-best player this season but feels Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez should win the award ahead of the West Ham United man, according to Sky Sports.
Indeed, the pundit has been thrilled by Mahrez’s success – especially considering how little the Foxes paid to sign him.
And Nicholas told Sky Sports: “For me it’s Riyad Mahrez very closely followed by Dimitri Payet.
“Jamie Vardy would of course be in the frame but if I’m looking at which players the teams miss the most, it is those two. West Ham had to go defensive without Payet and Leicester fans would have been fearing the worst when they saw Mahrez pull up on Saturday.
“Players that can do what he did at Watford have to be truly recognised. It’s not because they are ‘little Leicester’ either, he’s simply been amazing. For £350k, he’s been breathtaking.”
The Hammers playmaker may have cost a little more than £350k… but the Frenchman has still been a bargain for the price West Ham paid.
Payet has been far more effective than a number of big-money signings in the Premier League.
It doesn’t look like he’ll lift the Player of the Year award, though, as so much support is going towards title challengers Leicester and Tottenham.
But the West Ham man has still been sensational this term, hence the nomination, and will want to avoid second-season syndrome to repeat his heroics at the Olympic Stadium next campaign.
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