West Ham pin 50 million price tag on Payet
REUTERS - Dimitri Payet is worth not a penny less that 50 million pounds ($65.3 million), West Ham United co-chairman David Gold has said, but even that might not be enough to prise the France midfielder away from the London club.
Payet, who joined West Ham from Marseille in June last year, scored 12 goals in all competitions in his debut season in England and was instrumental in helping France reach the European Championship final, scoring three times.
His performances for club and country have prompted speculation about a possible move to Chelsea, Manchester City or Paris St Germain, but Gold said West Ham would be reluctant sellers even if someone matched the huge fee.
"We wouldn't even listen to any offer under 50 million pounds and even then we need to keep our best players so we just don't welcome any offers at all for Dimitri," Gold told the BBC.
"He's instrumental, he's important to us, the team is built round him and he's not for sale. He's settled in London with this family, the fans adore him and we're going to the Olympic Stadium.
"We've done everything we possibly could do. I'm hoping that will be enough (to keep him)."
($1 = 0.7653 pounds)
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)