Mohamed Diame’s dodgy West Ham contract has caused the gifted midfielder to be the subject of much speculation since the advent of the January transfer window.
Everyone and their dog knows that the 25-year-old has a buy-out clause written into his contract, that will allow him to leave for around £3.5m. That would be a bargain price for a player who has caught the eye on numerous occasions this season.
It’s clear that he only agreed a deal with West Ham initially because he knew he had an escape route should a top club come in. The Hammers must have been aware of this but for some reason chose not to fight against it. Now they’re in the embarrassing position of having to re-negotiate after just six months.
According to Hammers boss Sam Allardyce, however, no progress has been made: “The owners have tried to renegotiate the contract, but they haven’t been successful at the moment.”
No surprise there. Without meaning any disrespect to West Ham fans, it’s only natural that a player with as much potential as Diame would like to keep a hold of his escape route.
To re-negotiate his contract terms would essentially shut the door to the likes of Arsenal, who according to The Metro are keen to snap him up. They even claim he could be off to the Emirates before the end of the January transfer window.
In many ways, Mohamed Diame would be a typical Arsene Wenger signing. He’s French, he’d be something of a bargain and he’s got a lot of potential. In other ways, he’s something a little different.
By this, I mean to say that he has genuine physical presence. He’s the kind of player who likes to impose himself on opposition midfields. He has a competitive edge about him that will quickly win over Arsenal fans.
But he’s so much more than just a big-hitting, tenacious tackler. Anybody who saw him against Chelsea will testify. He can knock the ball about nicely and is capable of controlling play on his day. At Wigan it was clear he could kick on and become a star should he shake off his injury problems. At West Ham, he finally appears to be coming good.
At Arsenal, he has further opportunities to improve. Should the Gunners snap him up, it could end up being a very astute purchase. Whether it would be enough to land them a top four finish, however, is still up in the air.
What’s your take? Should Arsenal be pursuing Mohamed Diame?
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However, Diame insists he is happy at West Ham and has no desire to leave.
“I know there are people out there saying things about me, but I have spoken with the manager and told him that I want to stay here,” he told West Ham’s official website.
“I know the club want to keep me too, so I will continue to give my best for them.
“I knew when I signed that West Ham were going to make their mark on the Premier League.
“Since I came here I am enjoying every game I play on the pitch. I think I made a good choice because I am very happy at this club.”
Did you seriously write this today? Been on holiday and just catching up with what you’ve missed? Read some proper news outlets and see how behind you are.