L’Equipe report that Issa Diop has asked to leave West Ham following talks with manager David Moyes. There were suggestions last week that any move to Fulham was off after the Hammers suffered several defensive injuries – with Moyes resolving to hold onto the 25 year-old defender.
Tonight, the French sports paper claims that a deal to bring Diop to Craven Cottage is back on after his defensive request. The 6ft 4in centre back was nowhere to be seen in West Ham’s most recent friendly, which set the rumour mill abuzz with the Hammers currently having just a single fit senior defender.
Fulham had previously reportedly agreed a fee for the former Toulouse man before Moyes put the deal on ice but now it seems the €20m package that the London clubs have long haggled over might be put together again with Diop having apparently made it clear that would like to make the journey across London.
Diop is entering the final year of his contract at the London Stadium and hasn’t been a regular in the side for a couple of seasons now. Marco Silva has been desperate to strengthen his defence ahead of Fulham’s return to the top flight, with Tosin Adarabioyo and American veteran Tim Ream the club’s only senior centre backs available for selection after Terence Kongolo was left in London for the pre-season tour of Portugal and Alfie Mawson and Michael Hector were released earlier this summer.
With the rumoured breakthrough in negotiations with Arsenal to bring in Bernd Leno and the emergence of a possible deal for Diop, the spine of Silva’s starting line-up for the big kick off against Liverpool could suddenly look much stronger.
Wow!
After looking dead and buried the two deals -Leno and Diop – look to be back on.
If these deals DO transpire, they completely transform our defensive possibilities.
These would be MAJOR improvements and would represent a patient and shrewd business acumen on the part of T Khan that, I for one, did not believe existed.
If he can pull these two deals off, I will be the first to eat humble pie, take my hat off to him and promise never to say another negative word about him.
Still a way to go but things are looking positive.
Also love that Manor Solomon is confirmed after months of speculation. He brings real quality to our attack and, from his interview, he seems sure that he will start against Liverpool.
Hope it goes through – would be a great addition! But, isn’t Diop a right sided CB? Is he just competition for Toisin? Seems like our biggest need is a left sided CB…
Patience seemed to work this time!
Leno for 8, Mbabu 6, and Solomon for free (Loan?) are less than what Liverpool asked for Neco,17… so great deals!
I think Diop is little expensive at 20, but we’ll see the final price. I’m not sure TK is the responsible of these negotations, or is A. Mackintosh.
Whoever is, my respect, and hat off.
All them are proven players that change entirely the core of the team.
Feel more confident now…
Agreed. I’ll eat some pie with you Charles….but….I still think we need a back up CB, Left back and back up striker….but…if both the Diop and Leno deals happen the thing that really cuts it is everyone we’re getting is a proper transfer. This means we have the flexibility to do some last minute loan shopping as the window draws to an end and fringe players from top clubs get offered. If we only have a few pieces missing then last minute loans would be fine.
I really don’t think the 3 positions missing are nice to haves we have no backup or different option at all to Mitro and will need it. I don’t think Robinson/Bryan are going to be able to handle Prem wingers and If Tosin or Diop gets injured (which will happen) and Ream comes in then that isn’t going to work….but…yes agreed Diop and Leno would get us back on track to complete a good transfer window.
I don’t care if he rocks up in Moyes’s office wearing an FFC shirt, 20m is that too much for him. He’s just not that good.
We should give a chance to I. Odutayo, I really liked watching him against Nice. For 3rd or 4th CB of course. Bring in Diop and give a chance to Odutayo.
I think these signings give us a great chance to remain and even do well in the P. L. and I think every player new and old will be up for the new season.
As for Liverpool I remember our last 2 games. A win at Anfield and a draw at home, which should been a win , referee was awrull should have awarded the penalty
Not MY words Graham Souness’s
COYW.
These signings have been on the cards for weeks, weeks that Marco needed for these players to bed in. Instead of trying to save the odd few million now we face the annual prospect of losing early points that cost us a damn sight more at the end of the season. Don’t congratulate TK’s team, castigate them for trying to be too clever.
The Monor Soloman piece of “cleverness” stinks to high heaven for me. I thought we were better then that.
A little expensive, but he has premiership experience and our need for two good central defenders is paramount if we have even the slightest possibility of staying . We are somewhat in this position it is unbelievable. Anybody except Gazzanga in goal must be an improvement he is a liabilty