"Thank you captain!", published the Marseille club on its official website, shortly after a short press conference of president Pablo Longoria announcing the news alongside the N.10, in tears.
"We have decided not to continue the adventure together with our captain", a "very important element in the history of this club", announced the Spanish manager.
Having to interrupt several times to control his emotions, the darling of the Velodrome said he wanted to "continue to play", despite his 36 years. He will give himself "time" to make his decision, not hiding his frustration after a "very difficult season with little playing time".
While he was coming off a full and successful year under Jorge Sampaoli (2021-2022), the midfielder was quickly downgraded by his successor, now ex-coach of the club, Igor Tudor: he appeared only 26 times (11 starts, 4 goals) last season, usually grabbing a few minutes at the end of games.
"I thank my teammates, my presidents, my coaches and all those who have been there to make sure that I am always well, always in shape, my family of course, and OM, because OM is my family," said the Reunionese.
"Dimitri, you are a very important part of the history of this club. You have inspired a generation of OM supporters, with many very good moments, beautiful victories, shared moments," said Pablo Longoria.
Dimitri Payet, the French midfielder of Olympique de Marseille, during a press conference announcing his departure from OM, held at the Stade Vélodrome, in Marseille, on July 21, 2023 © Nicolas TUCAT / AFP
In nine seasons (2013-2015 and 2017 to 2023) interspersed with an interlude in the Premier League at West Ham, and 326 matches, the player has scored 78 goals and given 95 assists in the Olympian jersey.
"A performance reflecting the imprint he will leave forever within our club and our championship, of which he is the best passer in history," said the club, with which he has not won any title.
Boiling character
One of his big regrets will undoubtedly remain his thigh injury during the 2018 Europa League final against Atletico Madrid, forcing him to leave his teammates after 30 minutes. He will lose big: not only the "small European Cup", won 3-0 by the Spanish club, but also a probable call-up for the World Cup, won by the Blues, with whom he has 38 caps and 8 goals.
Blues with whom he had shone at the beginning of Euro-2016, including a superb goal to snatch victory against Romania.
His character, sometimes hot, often roomy, has always melted with Marseille's DNA, until he became the target of opposing supporters. In 2021, he had been thrown from a bottle against Lyon after being assaulted by an OGC Nice supporter a few weeks earlier.
Moreover, his end of the season last year was chaotic: for having inflicted a slap in the face of Yannick Cahuzac, assistant to the coach of Lensois Franck Haise, during the 34th day of Ligue 1, he had been sanctioned with three matches of suspension, plus two suspended.
French midfielder Dimitri Payet (r.) and Olympique de Marseille Spanish president Pablo Longoria (l.), during a press conference announcing the departure of the player from the Marseille club, in Marseille, July 21, 2023 © Nicolas TUCAT / AFP
The N.10 had therefore made his last appearance in the jersey of OM against Angers, at the Vél', by entering the game in the 48th minute of the match, on May 14, during the 35th matchday of L1.
His departure from the club, if it can be understood sportingly for a player whose integration into the probable 4-4-2 of the new coach Marcelino seemed complicated, may however be surprising, Payet having initialed in 2020 a contract of "Marseillais for life".
Signed by former president Jacques-Henri Eyraud and ensuring him a conversion at the club at its end, in June 2024, this commitment had never excited the current management team led by the Spaniard Longoria.
But the latter did not seem to close the door to a return of Dimitri Payet, far from it: "It's not a goodbye but a soon. You have the doors of the club wide open," he promised.
© 2023 AFP