Transferred to West Ham in 2015, Dimitri Payet had a rather good first season in the Premier League. But his second exercise was more delicate. The attacking midfielder then returned to OM in January 2017. The Marseille club then paid €30 million to repatriate him. And the former French international admitted that it was a dream that came true at that moment.
Dimitri Payet became an important figure in theABOUT over the last few years. Arriving in 2013, the attacking midfielder was however transferred to West Ham in 2015. The former French international then achieved a very high level first season in Premier League. His second year, however, was more difficult, to the point that he returned to OM in January 2017. The resident of the Ligue 1 then spent €30M to repatriate him. And Dimitri Payet admitted that the gesture of the leaders had particularly touched him.
“I have a gratitude that will be eternal”
« When I returned in January 2017. I have a gratitude that will be eternal, it is the president of OM, who at the time was Jacques-Henri Eyraud. He told me, “I want you to come back and I will do whatever it takes to get you back.” And we fought until January 28, 29, and it was hard. Because at one point, I told myself that it was going to be complicated to do » confided the current player of Basque da Gama in an interview given to RMC Sport a few days ago.
“It remains a significant transfer at the time for OM”
« But he never gave up on this negotiation. He never let go of me because we talked often. And he allowed me to realize my dream of coming back and having my family come back home, and then living these incredible seasons behind… It's an eternal gratitude that I have to President Eyraud and to the shareholder (Frank McCourt), who had put his hand in his pocket. It remains a significant transfer at the time for OM. These are the two people that immediately come to mind » then explained Dimitri Payet.
