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12th Jan 2017

Dimitri Payet doesn’t want to play for West Ham, Slaven Bilić says

But West Ham don't have to sell.

Tom Victor

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilić claims last season’s Player of the Year Dimitri Payet is refusing to play for the club.

The French international, who came on as a substitute in last week’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester City, but has been linked to Manchester United and Marseille.

“We have said we don’t want to sell our best players but Dimitri Payet does not want to play for us,” Bilić said in a press conference ahead of West Ham’s Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace, but insisted the club was not looking to sell their prized asset

“I spoke to the Chairman and this is not a money issue. We gave [Payet] a long contract because we want him to stay.”

Payet was the club’s top scorer last season with 12 goals in all competitions, and has scored three times in the current campaign.

He has also been one of the best creators of chances across the entire Premier League this season, with six assists in 19 league appearances.

West Ham fans have not taken kindly to the news, although some appreciate that it will be tough to hold on to such a talented player with the club having been in in the bottom half of the Premier League table since August.

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