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West Ham: First choice XI for 2016-17

By Tom Bogert

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 10: Mark Noble (16), Andy Carroll (9) and Dimitri Payet of West Ham United (27) celebrate victory after the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground on May 10, 2016 in London, England. West Ham United are playing their last ever home match at the Boleyn Ground after their 112 year stay at the stadium. The Hammers will move to the Olympic Stadium for the 2016-17 season. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 10: Mark Noble (16), Andy Carroll (9) and Dimitri Payet of West Ham United (27) celebrate victory after the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground on May 10, 2016 in London, England. West Ham United are playing their last ever home match at the Boleyn Ground after their 112 year stay at the stadium. The Hammers will move to the Olympic Stadium for the 2016-17 season. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 07: Dimitri Payet of West Ham United in action during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Swansea City at the Boleyn Ground, May 7, 2016, London, England. (Photo by James Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 07: Dimitri Payet of West Ham United in action during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Swansea City at the Boleyn Ground, May 7, 2016, London, England. (Photo by James Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images) /

AMR Sofiane Feghouli

Feghouli was the best non-Zlatan-Ibrahimovic free agent on the market going into the offseason and West Ham was able to swoop him up.

The Algerian spent his last six seasons at Valencia accruing 243 appearances for the Spanish club, scoring 42 goals.

Feghouli will jump straight into the first team after signing. In a formation such as this to accommodate two strikers, Tore will likely be the odd man out. The two new signings will start opposite each other when Bilic goes for one striker and allows Payet to get in the middle.

AML Dimitri Payet

What superlatives are adequate for such a player at this club, what can you say?

Payet enjoyed one of the most successful first seasons as a new signing in West Ham history. He immediately took the torch as their best, most important player pretty much from his debut against Arsenal. Payet started 29 games in the Premier League, only due to an ankle injury or it would have been all 38.

But in those 29 he scored 9 goals and assisted 12. Those are staggering numbers and it felt like even more due to the nature and degree of difficulty of each.

It’ll be a dodgy summer for West Ham fans, fearing the biggest clubs lurking around to lure Payet away from the club. As they move into the Olympic Stadium, Payet is the perfect figure to spearhead that transition.

Dimitri Payet is a star. He’s proved himself as one of the premier players in England, a player that West Ham fans should feel lucky to be able to watch every single week. Every club wishes they could have that pleasure.

Next: Strikers

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