Dimitri Payet has announced his departure from Olympique Marseille, after 9 years with the second most successful side in France.
Payet confirmed his exit in an emotional press conference, where the Frenchman was teary and he revealed how hard it was to accept the decision of the club.
Marseille also took to twitter to share a statement regarding the departure of Dimitri Payet.
The Olympians wished him all the best for his future endeavors and they also noted how “his goals and assists inspired a whole generation of fans”.
They wrote: “𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙞 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚 🙌💙
“Pure talent endowed with a rare elegance, the number 10 of OM marked the club with his technical class, his goals and his assists which inspired a whole generation of Olympians and Olympians.
“The whole club wishes Dimitri Payet, as well as his family, the best for the future. OM will always be their home.
Olympique Marseille president, Pablo Longoria also stated his profound gratitude to Dimitri for his contributions to the club.
Excerpt from a statement shared on the club’s website reads: “I would like to thank Dimitri for everything he has brought to Olympique de Marseille over all these years.”
When did Marseille re-sign Payet?
Dimitri Payet returned to Marseille in 2017, after an impressive stint with West Ham United, he joined the club for a fee of €29.3 million.
His first spell at the club was from July 1, 2013 till July 1, 2015 when he decided to join West Ham United in a deal worth €15 million.
Payet scored 78 goals and provided 95 assists in 328 appearances, during his two stints at the French side.
The 36-year-old had a remarkable brief stint in England from July 2015 till January 2017, making 60 appearances for West Ham, scoring 15 goals and providing 23 assists.
Dimitri Payet was known for his remarkable contributions from the middle of the park and his exquisite definitive free-kick goals.
The Frenchman signed a two year contract extension with Marseille in 2020 and his present deal was set to expire in 2024.
Dimitri Payet departure from Olympique Marseille
However, following a decision made by the club, both parties have decided to put an end to “their joint venture”.
It is uncertain where Payet is headed next and what his next career decision will be, after spending 9 seasons with the Olympians.
The former Lille midfielder fell out-of-favor with former manager Igor Tudor last term and that saw his game time reduce drastically.
The 36-year-old made 27 appearances last term, scoring 4 goals and providing 3 assists in all competitions.
Following the dismissal of Tudor, it was unknown if he would fit into the system of Marcelino and after a sincere conversation with Marseille president, Pablo Longoria, the decision was made.
Reports indicate that Dimitri Payet was offered an opportunity to be part of Olympique Marseille’s coaching staff, but the midfielder rejected the offer.
The outgoing captain still want to play active football, but his future hangs in the balance. However, Longoria has also shared that the exit of the Frenchman is “not a goodbye, it’s a see you soon”.
Payet has scored 142 goals and provided 184 assists in 668 appearances so far in his career.
