Winston Reid: West Ham haven’t missed Payet, this is why

Mon 20 February 2017 9:02, UK

By Will Butcher

Winston Reid has refused to criticise Dimitri Payet after the Frenchman left West Ham to rejoin Ligue 1 side Marseille in January, and said that the club’s new signings have left them in a stronger position.

Payet, 29, forced his way out of the London club by refusing to play for the Hammers, despite signing a new five-and-a-half-year deal in February 2016.

Speaking to West Ham’s official website, Reid claimed the sale of last season’s player of the season has contributed to the morale of the Hammers squad.

However, defender Reid was adamant that Payet was not solely to blame for his side’s poor start to the 2016-17 season, as he lauded the impact of signings Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte.

“I don’t want to pinpoint the whole situation on Dimi,” Reid said. “Because I think that would be unfair. He had his own issue which he had to deal with in his own way, which he did.

“He’s happy and we’re happy as well, so we’ll just move forward and do our best.

“We’re past that now. Jose and Snoddy have fitted into the group really well. We’ve signed not only good footballers, but good people as well who fit within the group.”