West Ham United skipper Mark Noble has warned the club must look after Dimitri Payet if they want to keep him.
West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet
The Hammers did brilliantly to hold on to Payet over the summer as the France star was linked with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United and Paris Saint Germain.
Since he signed from Marseille last summer for a bargain £10.5 million Payet has been nothing short of a revelation.
His sensational form since arriving in England has made him one of the most talked about stars in the Premier League.
Hammers hero Payet
He scored 12 goals last season – including a number of sensational free-kicks which have become his trademark – provided 15 assists and was shortlisted for the prestigious PFA Player of the Year award in his debut season in English football.
That honour eventually went to Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy but Payet still made the PFA team of the season.
France’s Dimitri Payet celebrates at Euro 2016
West Ham‘s new hero continued his fine form in the summer with some dazzling displays for France in their run to the Euro 2016 final.
Despite starting the season late and then picking up an injury, Payet has already produced some memorable moments of magic this term too.
His late long range free-kick helped West Ham past Accrington Stanley in the League Cup while his stunning goal of the season contender against Middlesbrough will take some beating as the best scored at the 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium.
The Frenchman, who has been nominated for this year’s Ballon d-Or, was criticised after a below par performance in the 2-0 defeat to Everton last time out.
West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet celebrates with Mark Noble
But Hammers skipper Noble has warned the club players like Payet must be looked after in an interview with West Ham’s official TV channel.
“Why not? I certainly wasn’t surprised and I don’t know why anyone should be,” Noble said of Payet’s nomination for football’s ultimate individual accolade.
“The way he played last season, the way he went to the Euros and – I’m a little bit biased – but was probably the best player there, he had an incredible tournament.
“He missed our first (few) games but since he’s come back he’s on the most assists in the league, he’s an incredible player, an incredible person and this club needs to look after players like that.”
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