David Sullivan issues warning to wantaway Dimitri Payet

Dimitri Payet: Has asked to leave West Ham

West Ham joint-chairman David Sullivan has vowed not to let Dimitri Payet leave this month.

France star Payet this week rocked the Hammers by telling them he wants to quit the club and has refused to play against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.

The 29-year-old, who signed a bumper £125,000-a-week five-year contract last February, is understood to want a move back to former club Marseille.

But Sullivan appears to be digging his heels in.

Writing in his programme notes ahead of the Palace match, he said: “The board’s position is that we do not want to sell Dimitri, we do not need to sell Dimitri for financial or any other reasons, and we will NOT sell Dimitri in the January transfer window.

“All we ask now is that he shows the same level of commitment to West Ham United as the club and the fans have shown to him by honouring his contract.”

West Ham’s fans are understandably angry at Payet’s actions, so much so that a steward was placed in front of a mural of the midfielder outside the London Stadium to prevent it being vandalised.