Marseille attacker Dimitri Payet says he reject a move to Swansea because they are not a “very big club”.
The two clubs agreed a £6.7m fee for the playmaker earlier this week as manager Garry Monk looks to bolster his squad ahead of thr new Premier League campaign.
Payet on the other hand, claims he never had any interest in joining the Liberty side despite the lucrative offer put forward to him.
Payet told L’Equipe: “Am I attracted by Swansea proposition? With all respect I have for Swansea I am absolutely not attracted.
“Since first contact between the club and my agent, I declined the offer. I want to go on at l’OM.
“Since the start, I was sure [I wanted] to stay. I immediately talked to the chairman. Even if the press stated I didn’t make my choice so far. Those rumours must be stopped.
“Indeed on a financial level the offer is very attractive. But being 27, I still have sporting objectives and I decided to stay. If a very big club wanted to contact me it would have done so already. I was average last season, I should have done much more to be a serious target. You never know in football but today I can say I will stay at l’OM 100 per cent.”
Payet also feels he can be a key figure in new boss Marcelo Bielsa’s side as the Ligue 1 outfit look to improve on last season’s sixth place finish.
“Bielsa told me very few things, except he wants to make me improve,” Payet added. “He wants me to be steadier and not only to be good for half a season.
“He has played me as a playmaker so far, a position that I like. I believe he believes in me and that is also why I want to stay at Marseille.”
By Phil Wellbrook
