Veteran Marseille midfielder and former captain Dimitri Payet has been cleared to depart the Ligue 1 membership earlier than the ultimate 12 months of his contract, membership president Pablo Longoria confirmed on Friday.
“We have decided not to continue the adventure together with our captain. It took many weeks of reflection, of discussion,” Longoria informed a press convention alongside Payet on the Velodrome stadium.
READ | French police examine violent residence theft of PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma
The 36-year-old former France worldwide, who had been beneath contract till June 2024, tearfully informed journalists he needed to “continue to play football” after “a very difficult season with little playing time”.
He added he now wished to offer himself “time” to determine on his future.
Payet has performed eight-and-a-half seasons over two spells with Marseille, both facet of a two-year stint with Premier League facet West Ham United, that includes in 326 matches and scoring 78 objectives, however with out successful a trophy.
He additionally performed for Ligue 1 sides Lille, Saint-Etienne and Nantes.
During his interlude at West Ham from 2015 to 2017, he made 49 appearances and scored 11 objectives earlier than returning to Marseille.
But Payet by no means managed to suit into the plans of ex-coach Igor Tudor in his ultimate season. He appeared solely 26 instances, scoring 4 objectives, usually grabbing a couple of minutes on the finish of a sport in a season when Marseille completed third in Ligue 1.
