Speaking recently on the U Irons podcast, Sam Delaney discussed Issa Diop’s future at West Ham United amid reports of interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
Since moving to West Ham from Toulouse in what was a £22.5 million deal back in 2018, Diop has gone on to feature 78 times for the Hammers, chipping in with five goals and providing one assist along the way.
However, so far this season, the £18 million-rated 23-year-old has found regular game time hard to come by under David Moyes, making just four appearances in the Premier League, over which he has averaged a highly disappointing WhoScored match rating of 6.30 – ranking him as the club’s fifth-worst performer in the top flight.
Despite this below-par displays, it has been recently reported that Jose Mourinho could be keen on making a move for the former France U21 international this month, which led Delaney, speaking on a recent episode of the U Irons podcast, to discuss the centre-back’s future in east London.
He said: “He’s one of our most expensive ever signings, I think he’s probably our most expensive defender, and he’s well-liked by other clubs. He’s been linked with big clubs on several occasions in the past; we know Mourinho likes him, that rumour has now resurfaced again.
“I mean, he must be looking at his future. He’s a young defender, who had a huge amount of promise ahead of him and I’m sure still will have a good career. But he can’t be sitting fifth-choice centre-back at West Ham, can he?”
Should West Ham sell Issa Diop?
Yes
No
TIF Thoughts on Sam Delaney’s comments regarding Issa Diop…
While Diop is, according to Transfermarkt, West Ham’s most valuable defender – financially speaking, at least – it would indeed seem as if keeping him on the books at the London Stadium, while he is not playing, does not make all that much sense.
And, with it being reported that Spurs are considering making a move for the Frenchman in the current window, in our opinion, it would be surprising if West Ham did much to stand in the way of the defender making the move to north London, should Mourinho indeed lodge a bid.