West Ham reiterate Payet stance but claim he’s ‘worth £100m’

Dimitri Payet: Claims his actions were instinctive

Dimitri Payet: Claims his actions were instinctive

West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan says the club’s star player Dimitri Payet is worth £100million in today’s market – but insisted once again the player is simply “not for sale”.

Sullivan is preparing himself for “six weeks of silliness” in which Payet – who was named in the team of the tournament for Euro 2016 – is targeted by clubs across Europe before the Premier League season starts.

Payet has already been linked with Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter Milan this summer, although the player’s agent has insisted the Frenchman is happy with life in east London.

But Sullivan is adamant that West Ham will not part with their prize asset and will risk upsetting Payet by rejecting offers from teams who may look to increase the player’s salary.

“Payet is not for sale,” Sullivan told the Daily Mirror. “Just because a big club wants him, tough luck. He is worth £100m. Even at his age.

“He’s only done what he has done at West Ham all season. He’s a very talented player. He’s probably the best free-kick taker in the world on current form.”

And he added: “He’s under contract. There might be six weeks of silliness when he bangs the table. But if you believe what he says, he wants to stay.

“If someone wants to break the world record (for him) we might consider it. Because it’s not then one-sided.

“The one-sided deal is if somebody comes in with £30-40m, offers the player double the money he’s on and the player wants to go. We get ripped off. Why should that be the case? We’re not going to stand for it.

“We’ve given him a new contract. If he’s still doing what he’s doing now at Christmas or the end of the season we might give him another new contract.

“But he’s only just signed a new contract four months ago and I don’t see that a few games for France entitles a new contract after four months.”