Olympique de Marseille playmaker Dimitri Payet extends his contract until 2024 and cuts his salary in half for next season. "I love the club and I am ready to do whatever it takes to help it grow," he said during a press conference on Saturday alongside its president Jacques-Henri Eyraud and his trainer André Villas-Boas. He also waives certain bonuses, notably that of European qualification. The leaders of the club, in financial delicacy, hope for other similar announcements.
OM does not intend to stop there
Dimitri Payet's salary, estimated at the moment at around 500,000 gross monthly, will suffer a second drop the following year, of around 30%. "The idea started to sprout in my head when the club spoke about phase 2" of the Eyraud / McCourt project. The players must make an effort, who better than me to lead by example? ", He explained. In the process, goalkeeper Yohann Pelé announced that his salary would also be lowered during the coming season, but his salary is much lower.
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And OM does not intend to stop there. President Jacques-Henri Eyraud's teams target three other players earning significant salaries: Florian Thauvin, Steve Mandanda and Kevin Strootman. But negotiations promise to be close. If Steve Mandanda, 35 and at the end of his career, could accept to lower his income, it seems less obvious for a player like Florian Thauvin, 27, who still has several years ahead of him.