West Ham United’s golden boy Dimitri Payet is said to be a candidate on the wishlist of Arsene Wenger’s winter shopping list according to the English press. Payet was one of the signings of the Premier League last season, almost single-handedly guiding West Ham to their best ever finish (7th) and points tally in the Premier League.
This season, however, the Frenchman has grown increasingly frustrated with the poor results of the club who currently sit a point above the relegation zone. Arsenal thrashed the Hammers in their own backyard last Saturday with a 5-1 scoreline. The contrast between the two clubs were pretty clear on the day and it will surely come into play if Wenger places a bid for the player in the coming days.
Payet, who earned a reputation in the French League performing brilliantly for the likes of Saint-Etienne, Lille and Marseille, joined West Ham for an absolute bargain of £10.7m. After ending the season with 7 goals and 16 assists for Marseille, securing a player of that calibre and for that fee looked too good to be true and especially after last season where Payet scored 9 and assisted a further 12 from the 30 appearances in the league. After his exploits of last season, Payet also achieved international acclaim with his performances for France in the Euros.
Arsene Wenger admitted that he had a good look at the player when he was in Marseille but opted out of signing him for the team as he had reservations over his consistency.
Speaking about Payet before his team beat the Hammers the Arsenal boss remarked, “West Ham was one of the triggers for him, not only did he convince last year he is a top class player, he won his place in the national team. He was a top talent, always, but had periods of being up and down. I’ve looked at him many times. I’ve known him for a long time. He played at Saint-Etienne and we watched him many times. I think he has all the attributes to be a top player, which he is, but he’s 29-years-old already. He’s matured a lot and come back into the national team, which shows he was more consistent.”
Adding Payet to the team will definitely improve the quality of the squad at the moment. The Frenchman’s versatility will allow him to play in any of the three slots across Arsenal’s attacking midfield which will boost the London club’s title charge.
Moreover, making a switch to Arsenal would offer Payet an escape route out of West Ham, where things seem to be going awry despite his best efforts, without having to relocate to a new city. Payet is on a wage of £125,000 per week at his current club and with West Ham reported to hold out for at least £35m for the player, he will be one of the most expensive signings of the January window if it finally happens.
