West Ham: Irons profited handsomely from “insane” £25 million genius
West Ham have done some bad business in the past, but one signing will live on in infamy.
West Ham United defied the trend of having problematic transfer windows this summer, as David Moyes spent well to strengthen his squad.
The departure of captain Declan Rice, who joined Arsenal in July following months of speculation about his future in east London, netted the Hammers a tidy £105 million profit.
There was some concern over who would replace the club’s 2022/23 Player of the Season, especially given the fee paid for his services, but the Irons responded admirably by recruiting successfully.
Following Rice’s departure, four high-profile signings were made: Konstantinos Mavropanos, James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, and Mohammed Kudus, much to the pleasure of West Ham fans.
West Ham summer arrivals
| Player | Club | Fee |
| Mohammed Kudus | Ajax | £38m |
| Edson Alvarez | Ajax | £35.4m |
| Sean Moore | Cliftonville | Undisc |
| James Ward-Prowse | Southampton | £30m |
| Konstantinos Mavropanos | Stuttgart | £19m |
Sky Sports provided all statistics.
The Hammers are in second place after starting the season with a draw and then winning three consecutive games, with their new signings proving their worth at the London Stadium.
The signing of Lucas Paqueta last summer significantly improved the side’s quality, demonstrating how much can be improved by a single addition, an example the Irons are all too familiar with.
Signed in 2015, one name stands out as leading the way in terms of transfer success stories in east London, with the influence of Dimitri Payet needing little introduction.
How much did West Ham sign Dimitri Payet for? When Slaven Bilic signed Payet for £10.7m from Marseille, not many would have been able to predict just how influential the Frenchman would become for the club. West Ham have had some quality players over the years, from Paulo Di Canio to Billy Bonds, with the claret and blues having seen a plethora of top talent grace the pitch in their history.
Payet is unquestionably one of them, with the majestic maestro altering the spirit and quality of football on display in east London in such a short period of time.
West Ham finished 12th with 47 points in the 2014/15 season under Sam Allardyce, their third consecutive season in the Premier League following their promotion from the Championship in 2012.
However, Payet’s arrival transformed the club’s fortunes, as the Frenchman added a glimmer of shine to the side, showing a new player for Premier League opponents to fear.
Dimitri Payet scored how many goals for West Ham?
In a total of 60 appearances for West Ham, the attacking midfielder contributed to 38 goals, scoring 15 and assisting 23 during an exciting period for the Irons.
The Frenchman brought a new level of class and quality to the club’s roster, resulting in genuinely spectacular moments for Bilic’s team and Premier League memories that will last a lifetime.
In 30 league appearances in his debut season, the midfielder scored nine goals and assisted 12, catching England by storm and being dubbed “insane” by journalist Alan Rzepa.
It wasn’t simply his goal contributions that made Payet’s impact on West Ham so remarkable, but the caliber of attacking sequences that his presence alone instilled in Bilic’s club.
The Hammers finished seventh in his debut season, gaining 62 points and scoring 65 goals, a significant improvement on the 44 goals scored the previous season.
French footballing star Zinedine Zidane praised the attacker as “one of the most important players in Europe” at the time, demonstrating just how highly regarded the attacker was in world football during his time in claret.
The Frenchman was adored during his short time at the club, with impeccable vision, a set piece expert, and a master of trickery, but everything appeared to go wrong so soon.
What became of Dimitri Payet?
After only 18 months as an Iron, Payet left the club in a rapid fall from grace following his spectacular rookie season.
Speaking to the media, as cited by The Athletic, Bilic stated that the Frenchman “does not want to play for us, he wants to leave,” which were statements that were unavoidable after the attacker went on strike to force a move.
That is the ugly reality of football, when players are idolized to the point where they forget they are people.
After scoring, assisting, and being adored, the Frenchman withdrew from the picture, refusing to train or play for the club until a deal was agreed upon, making for a harsh exit after such a glorious period.
Marseille quickly scooped up their former hero after 18 months, paying the Hammers a sum of £25m, a fair price and profit for the Irons, who had memories to last a lifetime from his brief stint at the club.
He went on to score 63 more goals for Marseille before being released this summer at the age of 36.
Where is Dimitri Payet now?
A lavish career in Europe spanning over 668 domestic appearances ended in the summer, as the Frenchman painfully parted ways with Marseille, displaying a tearful goodbye from the club upon his exit.
It was an unexpected farewell, with the player believed to have had a year remaining on his contract, however the French outfit called time on his days representing the side.
At 36, it was questioned whether Payet would call it quits on his career, however after making seven goal contributions in Ligue 1 in 2022/23, the attacker’s playing days aren’t over just yet.
It was announced that his next venture would be outside of Europe, and to Brazil, where the 5 foot 9 sensation signed for Vasco da Gama, in the Brazilian Serie A.
Despite just making one appearance for the Rio de Janeiro side, the Frenchman will be remembered warmly in east London, despite his sudden departure.
Overall, West Ham appeared to get the last laugh and were probably the winners of the transaction, signing the difference maker for under £10.7m and selling him for £25m after a harsh ordeal, in a move that will be remembered at the club for all the wrong reasons.
