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West Ham United: Dean Jones claims Issa Diop exit increasingly likely

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Image for West Ham United: Dean Jones claims Issa Diop exit increasingly likely

Transfer insider Dean Jones believes that Issa Diop now wants to leave West Ham United for Fulham this summer.

With the £30m arrival of Nayef Aguerd to the London Stadium doubt was casted over Diop’s future at the club.

As a result Fulham have saw fit to test the resolve of the Hammers with an initial bid of £12m, however, having spent a then club-record £22m on the defender four years ago the Irons are said to be holding out for closer to £20m (Evening Standard).

Jones has now claimed though the player’s desire for a move makes the possibility of a transfer ‘more likely’ but did suggest that the east London outfit may want to bring in a replacement first.

Speaking on the Chasing Green Arrows YouTube channel he said: “It’s actually becoming more likely than probably the last time we recorded that Diop actually wants this transfer to happen now I’m told.

“Fulham have got to pay £20m for him if it’s going to happen. The problem is West Ham have a bit of an injury crisis with centre-backs, there’s a lot of little problems including Diop actually I think he’s got a knock.

“So I think West Ham will want to sign someone before he goes and Fulham will have to cough up the £20m which I think they’ve been trying not to do and they’ve been playing that down so looking quite good.”

TIF Thoughts on Diop and West Ham…

Should West Ham sell Issa Diop?

Yes

Yes

No

No

With 34-year-old Angelo Ogbonna only just returning from a serious knee injury and question marks surrounding the reliance of Craig Dawson with a further fitness issue during pre-season, Diop could well be needed by David Moyes especially in the opening weeks of the Premier League season.

With new signing Aguerd undergoing successful surgery, Kurt Zouma was left as the only natural option at centre-back for the Hammers in a pre-season friendly with Luton and you would think it’s a problem Rob Newman will want to rectify before Diop can be let go. 

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