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Diop demands new challenge away from West Ham

Tealtalk understands that Issa Diop has told West Ham United that he wants to leave the club this summer, and there is no shortage of interest with Tottenham leading the chase

Issa Diop. Photo: GETTYIMAGES

Tealtalk understands that Issa Diop has told West Ham United that he wants to leave the club this summer, and there is no shortage of interest with Tottenham leading the chase to claim his signature.

Spurs asked about Diop in January but West Ham made it clear that they would not entertain a deal due to their precarious position in the Premier League.

But The Hammers are ready to cash in on the 23-year-old as they will more than double their money on the player they paid Toulouse £22million for in 2018. In fact, The Metro reported recently that West Ham value the player at £60m.

Manchester United and Everton are also keeping close tabs on £60k-a-week Diop, but Spurs have maintained a strong interest since January and see him as the ideal man to replace Jan Vertonghen, who will be departing the club this summer.

Last month AS reported that Atletico Madrid was interested in poaching Diop, whose performances have put him in contention for a call-up to the senior France national team.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol suggested this week that David Moyes could be tempted to sell Diop.

“I’m not sure he was totally convinced by Issa Diop to begin with and there are a few clubs who would be interested in taking him, but Diop’s form has improved and it would take big money for West Ham to sell,” said Solhekol.

In fact that does tally with what Moyes said about Diop in January, although he did say he wanted to keep working with the player.

“If you ask me, he still has development to do as a young centre half, he has a long way to go. But I am looking forward to working with him over the next couple of years,” said Moyes.

Diop still has three years to run on his current contract which he penned in the summer of 2018, but his time may be up, especially if both the player and Moyes are set on a transfer.

Diop though has repeatedly affirmed his happiness to stay at West Ham.

“West Ham, for me, it was not and is still not a springboard to go elsewhere,” he told France Football back in August.

“It’s the club where I want to try to become the best defender I can be, compared to my qualities.

“Whether technical, tactical, physical, I still have a large margin of progression.”

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