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West Ham captain Mark Noble expects Dimitri Payet to stay next season

Dimitri Payet of West Ham celebrates scoring his team's second goal against Crystal Palace
Image: Mark Noble has been in regular contact with Dimitri Payet during Euro 2016

West Ham captain Mark Noble expects Dimitri Payet to stay at the club amid reports his eye-catching performances for club and country have attracted the attention of some of Europe's top clubs.

Payet lit up the Premier League in his debut season in England, netting 12 goals and contributing 15 assists, helping West Ham qualify for the Europa League.

The 29-year-old has taken that form onto the international stage, scoring in France's first two games at Euro 2016, and Noble says the former Marseille winger has been the standout player of the tournament so far.

Asked by Sky Sports News HQ reporter Jamie Weir if he thought Payet would be at the club next season, Noble said: "I think he will be. I've been in a lot of contact with him over the summer and he loves the football club.

Dimitri Payet (C) scores the winner in France's 2-1 victory over Romania at Stade de France
Image: Payet scores the winner in France's 2-1 victory over Romania at the Stade de France

"But football is football, so you never know, but obviously we'd all like to see him back here in the summer.

"We were all hoping he would go [to Euro 2016] and I said to him: 'Dim I'm 100 per cent you're going to go', even though he thought he had no chance.

"To see him doing so well is great because he's been the player of the tournament so far. I think we all knew how good he was but now the world knows how good he is."

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Mark Noble of West Ham United and team mates salute the crowd after victory in the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham
Image: Noble says he has unforgettable memories of the Boleyn Ground

Noble was speaking at the opening of West Ham's brand new club shop at their new Olympic Park home where some fans had begun queuing at 3am.

The 29-year-old admitted he will miss the club's former Upton Park home but insisted the move represents an exciting new chapter for West Ham football club.

Noble said: "The Boleyn Ground surface was fantastic and the memories that people have from there will never be forgotten and nor will I. But we are moving on to a new era and hopefully this is the way forward for the football club."

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