It has been reported that Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa spoke to the former West Ham United star to see if he would like to return to the Premier League.
The 33-year-old, who can play as an attacking midfielder or as a winger, was a huge success during his time at West Ham in the Premier League.
However, according to the report in Le10Sport, Bielsa could not convince Payet, who subsequently signed a new contract with Marseille, as reported by Goal.com.
Dimitri Payet would have been a superb signing for Leeds United
Leeds need to sign a new playmaker this summer, as the Whites cannot rely on just Pablo Hernandez, who is not getting any younger.
Payet may be 33 years of age, but he is a very good attacking player who would have made the Whites stronger in attack and would have made an instant impact at Elland Road.
The France international was a massive success in the Premier League when he was at West Ham.
Slaven Bilic – now in charge of West Bromwich Albion – worked with Payet at West Ham, and he described the Frenchman as “brilliant on the pitch, off the pitch and in the dressing room”, and said that he “was vocal in a good way, having fun and mixing with all the players”, as quoted on Sky Sports in January 2018.
According to WhoScored, Payet scored nine goals and provided 12 assists in the Premier League for the Hammers during the 2015-16 season, and scored two goals and provided six assists in the league for the London club in the first half of the 2016-17 campaign before returning to Marseille in the middle of the season.
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