West Ham defender Issa Diop is poised for a move across the capital after Fulham and the Hammers finally agreed a £17m fee, according to reports from his native France.

The 25 year-old centre back, who David Moyes said had ‘not put himself forward to play’ in West Ham’s recent fixtures, has agreed a five-year contract at Craven Cottage and will travel from France back to London in order to begin a medical at Motspur Park and complete the finalities of what has been another summer-long transfer saga. Diop, who starred after coming through the Toulouse youth academy and helped the French under-19s win the 2016 European Championship, was West Ham’s record signing in 2018 but has struggled for regular game time recently under Moyes.

The 6ft 4in centre back has made 121 appearances and scored eight goals during his time with the Hammers, but made only thirteen league appearances last season. He has made no secret of his desire to join Fulham, posting several Instagram messages in French last week, and would become Marco Silva’s second central defensive signing in a matter of days after the Whites loaned in Shane Duffy from Brighton on Friday.