Dimitri Payet has revealed that he passed up the opportunity to join Manchester United in 2017. He holds no regret about the move and considers it a changing point in his career.
The striker began his professional career in 2004 with Excelsior of the Netherlands, then went on to play for Nantes, Saint Etienne, and Lille before joining Marseille in 2013.
The Frenchman stayed with the club for two years before moving on to West Ham in the Premier League, although he eventually returned to Stade Velodrome in 2017.
Payet has now revealed that he had the option to continue in the Premier League with Manchester United, but he chose to return to Marseille due to family ties.
He said to RMC Sport:
“I’m not someone who lives with regrets. I made a choice, which was just as much related to football as it was to family, to come back to Marseille. There were other clubs, big clubs. There were Manchester United and others. It was a personal and family choice. I think it was the best for me and my family.”
Before re-signing with Marseille, Payet was a regular in the France national team, but he lost his spot due to the club’s instability in Ligue 1.
Marseille’s best finish was in a runner-up position in 2019-20, which was also their lone appearance in the Champions League in the last five years. He was a standout performer for the club during that year.
In 195 league appearances, the midfielder has 47 goals and 53 assists, including a magnificent long-range volley in Marseille’s most recent win over Montpellier, which moved them three points clear of leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
