Wenger: Why I decided against signing Dimitri Payet

Wenger: Why I decided against signing Dimitri Payet

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted he should have considered signing France star Dimitri Payet before he joined West Ham last summer.

Payet has been the stand-out player of Euro 2016 so far, inspiring Didier Deschamps team going forward and scoring in both of the host’s wins.

The Frenchman scored nine goals and created 12 more for the Hammers in the Premier League last season, prompting the question of why other English clubs didn’t move for a man that cost just £10.7 million.

Asked if he had considered a move for the 29-year-old Wenger replied, as reported by The Daily Express: “Yes. Often. Very often, I have to say that I asked myself that question during my career.

“And I also have to say that I decided against it because he was not consistent. I have never doubted that he had enough talent to play in my team.

“I have been lucky enough in my club to always have very good players in his position and it was crowded!”

Payet joined West Ham from Marseille in the 2015 after a career which took in Lille, Saint-Etienne and Nantes as he struggled to put his undeniable talent to the best use.

His breakthrough season for Marseille under the guidance of Marco Bielsa in which he scored seven goals and registered 17 assists received attention from England, but it was West Ham who made the move.

At 29, it now seems that Payet is hitting his best ever form and he has been outstanding at Euro 2016 so far, assisting Olivier Giroud for France’s opener against Romania before firing in a wonderful goal to make it 2-1.

He then rounded off Les Bleus win over Albania in injury time with a well- taken second goal to make him joint-top goal scorer in the tournament after two games.

Payet’s form on the stage of the Euros may prompt further interest in the Frenchman, with Europe’s elite clubs, including Barcelona, now said to be interested in him.

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