The player was, subsequently, linked with In his first season at Saint-Étienne, Payet struggled to assert himself into the team. While at Le Havre, Payet endured a tumultuous four years. A set-piece specialist, known for his accurate, bending free kicks, he primarily plays as an attacking midfielder, and is described as a player who is "blessed with terrific technique and dribbling skills". While training at the club, he was accused of having a difficult character and displaying a lack of motivation.Upon his arrival at Nantes, Payet was inserted onto the club's reserve team in the Following Nantes' relegation, Payet's desire to remain in the first division led the player to issuing a transfer request. On his debut, he scored a brace within the first 15 minutes of the game, helping his side to a 3–1 victory over "Bielsa was the first to recognise that Dimitri is a playmaker and not a winger.
In his last 14 matches of 2010–11, Payet scored five goals and also registered a further three assists.Payet ended his first season at Lille with six goals and six assists, starting in 23 of the team's 38 league matches.On 27 June 2013, Marseille signed Payet for a fee in the region of €11 million. He made his club debut on 4 August 2007 in a 1–1 draw with After the summer, Payet put the past behind him and opened the Payet returned to Saint-Étienne's line-up for the following match against Lyon on 12 February. Dimitri is probably the best player in the world, together with In February 2016, Payet signed a new five-and-a-half year contract with West Ham that would pay him £125,000 a week, committing him to the club until the summer of 2021.Following an outstanding first season in English football, Payet was named Premier League Player of the Year at the London Football Awards in MarchOn 10 August 2018, during a 4–0 victory for Marseille over Payet scored his first goal on 7 June 2015, coming on for Mathieu Valbuena in the 73rd minute to net France's third goal 16 minutes later, in a 4–3 home friendly defeat by In May 2016, Payet was named in the France squad for Dimitri Payet is a French professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille and the France national team.