Fulham have tonight confirmed the capture of West Ham central defender Issa Diop for a fee believed to be around £15m.
The French centre half has signed a five-year contract at Craven Cottage and becomes Marco Silva’s second defensive addition in the space of six days after the arrival of Shane Duffy on last week. The 25 year-old, deemed surplus to requirements by David Moyes this summer, made 119 appearances for the Hammers, scoring nine goals – including a header in Fulham’s 3-1 defeat at the London Stadium back in 2019.
Diop told FFC TV tonight:
“I’m very happy, very happy to join Fulham. I hope it’s going to be a very good chapter of my career. It’s all official now, so I’m happy. I just want to train with the team now, and let’s get to work.”
Fulham had tried to sign the 6ft 4in defender following their promotion to the Premier League in 2018 but he opted to join West Ham in a £22m deal after emerging as a teenager in the Toulouse first team. He made his Ligue 1 debut for Les Violets against Nice aged 18 in November 2015 and scored in his second appearance, a 3-0 win at Troyes. Diop helped Toulouse keep eight clean sheets and survive relegation on the final day of the season and made thirty league appearances the following year before being named club captain in 2018, when Toulouse reached the last eight of the Coupe de France and again narrowly avoided the drop.
Fulham’s summer-long pursuit of Diop, who only made thirteen league appearances for West Ham last term, sees them acquire an aerially dominant and speedy centre half, who will offer much-needed competition for Duffy, Tosin Adarabioyo and Tim Ream following the release of Michael Hector and Alfie Mawson at the end of last season. Diop, who scored in the final of the 2016 Under 19 European Championships which France won, has been capped for his country at every youth level and will be handed the number 31 shirt. He will be available for Saturday’s first away fixture of the season at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Another mid,two wingers and a striker and we are set !!.
Another decent Center back, two more winger/strikers and we have a pretty sexy squad!
Great addition to our defence, welcome to FFC Issa
There has been plenty of criticism of the way this transfer window has been conducted but Marco Silva identified 5 main targets-Solomon, Leno, Pereira, Diop and Palhinha-and, despite agonisingly protracted negotiations on all 5, some more difficult than others, T.Khan has managed to successfully deliver every single one of them.
He stuck to his stubborn guns when some selling clubs were refusing to lower their demands and, somehow, via convoluted, financial agreements -designed to circumnavigate FFP, he has, undoubtedly, improved the quality of our squad.
The unfortunate injuries to key wide men, Wilson and Solomon, plus the striker back up so urgently needed, mean that there is still work to be done but I, for one, want to applaud T.Khan for his sterling work in this window. Thank you.
Protracted yes but we are getting there. Welcome to the squad lssa.
TK is getting it done one way or another. Hats off.
A much needed signing .We now have 4 central defenders which is enough at the moment to see us through at the moment unless it is someone who is equally at home at left back> at the moment with the injuries to Wilson and Solomon another wide player plus decent back up for Mitro is what is required in the next few weeks. I hope TK can wave his magic wand, as despite the critism he has not been blackmailed into paying vastly inflated transfer fees. Kluivert sounds a possible interesting signing
We have now some good signings everyone that we have gone for we now have got I echo the sentiments of the previous person perhaps it seemed to us that nothing was happening but it has slowly but surely maybe with Kluivert and Zirkzee as well plus Nelsson if one of those come to us then I will be the first to say well done TK
Welcome to Marco’s Black and White Army, Issa!! Now work hard and earn your space in the team!!
COYW
Totally agree that we’re getting there. The players we’re getting are what we need. Need a winger and back up striker now for sure but last minute loans can cover those. Yes it has been painfully slow but fair play to TK in that we’re now getting there. I wonder how much Silva going public with his dissatisfaction made the difference. Things seemed to happen very quickly for a lot of players after that. Anyway we’re looking in a much better state now. COYW
Diop will be an excellent addition. A hate to say this but well done TK. Personally I consider we are now covered at centre back and should concentrate on other position especially wide players . Please do not let the rumour of Willian joining be true he is well past his best and would be on a high salary. A bad signing. Kluivert would be a much better option. We still have not managed to move on Knockhaert, Caverlerio so if necessary, we could use them on the bench until the end of August. If we had to use them they would then be in the shop window and should be keen to perform well, increasing their chances of moving on.