The star sensation in the Premier League last season by a country mile, and now the player of the European Championships already, is Dimitri Payet.
Payet was the bargain buy from Marseille that West Ham insiders raved about this time last year.
Most people had never heard of the Frenchman outside of France and it appeared to be a £10.7m gamble, but West Ham have a steady knack lately of taking risks with bringing in relative unknowns. Just look at Manuel Lanzini as another example.
During Payet’s introductory season at West Ham, the stunning free-kicks and the delightful silky skills that get you to the edge of your seat, everyone seems to have woken up to the Dimitri phenomenon. In France this summer, he has lit the fuse paper on an otherwise less than inspiring France team.
West Ham now have a task ahead of them in keeping the 29-year-old at the Olympic Stadium, but what they can do to guarantee his stay for just another season or two?
Here are five things they need to do to convince the superstar that East London is where he belongs…
Ambition
West Ham will need to convince Payet that their ambitions match his own.
If he carries on the way he started at the Euros, the big clubs will come knocking with more money, with Champions League football, with a richer history and that may be hard for the player to resist.
The Hammers are in the sister European tournament next season and it is part of their climb to challenge domestically and abroad, but Slaven Bilic and the board need to sell the “what next” if they want to keep the man that signed a five year deal back in February.
Signings
The Hammers board will need to show evidence of their commitment to the future of the club in who they sign this summer.
Payet will be offered the chance to play alongside some of the world’s best players if he moves to La Liga, for example.
The Premier League is still the richest league and can quote some stellar players within it, but West Ham will need to sign the likes of Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette to show intent to a player that is fast outgrowing East London.
New players coming to West Ham may join just because Payet is there. The 29-year-old will need to believe in West Ham and their ambitions and the clubs recruitment policy will need to be geared around proving their ambitions beyond doubt.
Slaven Bilic
The Croatian was instrumental in recruiting the player and he will be key to him staying.
New signing Feghouli has already said that he joined because of the manager and Slaven will need to be at his most persuasive this summer.
At West Ham, Payet feels loved and he has spoken publicly about the fans’ adoration. Bilic will need to be clear about what he can offer the player and where he sees the club in the next two seasons. Bilic brought him to West Ham and it’s Bilic that has put him on the European stage when he couldn’t buy a French cap last year.
Payet will listen to Bilic, but let’s hope the rhetoric is enough for now.
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Success
The Hammers came close to Champions League football and to an FA Cup semi-final last season.
For Payet, though, close won’t be enough; he will want to win trophies and that might be something a little further down the line for West Ham.
If Payet can stay next year and West Ham can win silverware and remain challenging the top four, it might be enough for the midfielder to stay.
If Lacazette comes to Stratford, then it’s even more probable that Payet will stay, but the East London club need to start winning trophies to keep this firecracker.
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Enjoyment
As long as Payet enjoys his time at West Ham it is entirely possible that it will form part of the overall decision made by the player.
According to The Mirror, Bilic has a cunning plan to keep Payet at West Ham.
The West Ham boss said: “He’s enjoying it here, it’s obvious.
“In every training session and in every minute that he’s spending here. And we are enjoying him, he’s enjoying us. When the players play good there are always going to be rumours and interest from the big clubs.
“What can you do? What should I tell him? Drop him or tell him to start playing bad so he is going to stay with us for 10 years?’Score some own goals but we’re going to have you for five years here!”
Only time will tell what happens, but for edgy Hammers fans, the end of the summer transfer window can’t close quickly enough.
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