West Ham Fan View: Dimitri Payet saga ends in heartbreak

We were heartbroken when it was announced by Slaven Bilic that Dimitri Payet no longer wanted to play for West Ham. From that moment on, the relationship changed.

Many West Ham fans went from loving Payet to wanting him out of the club as soon as possible and this has finally happened. We all thought that this would drag on until deadline day after multiple bids were rejected, but West Ham have finally confirmed that they have agreed to sell Payet to Marseille for £25m.

When Payet first arrived at West Ham there were doubts as to whether he could adapt to the nature of the Premier League quick enough to have an impact. His Premier League debut answered those questions and the league now had a new star.

Payet was stunning against Arsenal at the Emirates, having us on the edge of our seats throughout the game. He displayed his stunning set-piece ability, assisting Cheikhou Kouyate’s opener and from this game we knew that we had a special player at our club.

Payet will never be forgotten for his performances in the 2015/2016 season. He cemented himself as one of the best attacking midfielders in the world. We were on another level whenever Payet was on the pitch and he made everyone around him play better. His ability to take on opponents with ease, deliver killer passes, create chances, and score stunning free-kicks had us all in awe.

How could we forget the free-kicks against Bournemouth and Manchester United? Or the free-kick against Crystal Palace which showed that no matter how many men were in the wall, Payet would still score. Let’s not forget his sensational solo goal against Middlesbrough this season where half of their team could not stop him.

Payet ended his debut season with nine goals and twelve assists in the Premier League and was crucial in our challenge for the Champions League spots though we fell short by four points. What more could we have asked for? Payet was on his way to becoming a legend at the club.

But Payet’s time at West Ham will not be remembered fondly by the fans and he has tarnished his legacy at the club due to his actions in recent weeks. Refusing to play has meant that the love we once had for Payet has disappeared. And for that reason, I am happy to see him finally on his way out of the club. We can only hope that the money we receive for him gets used well and we strengthen our squad.

West Ham no longer have Payet.