West Ham are taking a hard line stance on El Hadji Malick Diouf after rejecting a bid from Brentford and Daniel Kretinsky is leaving the decision entirely up to manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
A host of clubs are interested in signing West Ham’s Senegalese left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf – but signing him will be far from straightforward, if it is even possible, for his suitors.
Despite clearly needing to improve defensively, Diouf enjoyed an impressive debut season in the Premier League for a 21-year-old.
The Hammers paid Slavia Prague £19.5m to sign Diouf and Man United are reportedly among the clubs also interested in him.
West Ham chief Kretinsky leaves Diouf decision to Nuno
Hammers News exclusively revealed this week that West Ham have insisted no more key players will be sold this summer – unless, crucially, Nuno Espirito Santo green lights departures if valuations are met.
In that exclusive we revealed Diouf is seen as one of those key players and that the Irons would refuse to sell him unless they received an extraordinary offer and the deal is given the all clear by Nuno.
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No sooner had Hammers News reported that Diouf news than an official bid was made by Brentford.
It was rejected out of hand as West Ham take a hard line stance with Daniel Kretinsky leaving the Diouf decision solely down to Nuno.
West Ham fans have been realistic about the club needing to be financially prudent and accept the blockbuster bids for Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville that have raised £155m.
Especially as that Kretinsky transfer masterclass single-handedly wiped out West Ham’s deficit in revenue at being in the Championship rather than the Premier League next season.
But Kretinsky also insisted the Hammers do not need to sell players for financial reasons.
West Ham want to keep Diouf as bid snubbed
That is the main reason West Ham have been able to command such big fees for Summerville and Fernandes – because the club could have kept both without issues financially.
Now Brentford and Diouf’s other suitors are about to find out just how difficult it will be to get him out of the club.
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Their only hope will be that Nuno decides he can do without Diouf and would prefer the money to improve the team.
That seems highly unlikely based on an update from Evening Standard reporter Sam Tabuteau.
He has reiterated what Hammers News revealed first – that West Ham do not want to sell Diouf.
Tabuteau has confirmed Kretinsky has received and rejected a bid from Brentford.
The reporter makes reference to West Ham being in a much stronger financial position as a result of the Summerville and Fernandes sales.
Even if Nuno is happy to green light a move, West Ham would be mindful to hold off selling Diouf until they have got some players in the door themselves.
Because some Hammers fans are losing patience with the fact the club have thus far failed to make any new signings ahead of the Championship season, which starts in three weeks.
This week Nuno insisted West Ham signings will be on the way ‘soon’ as he praised how quickly new head of recruitment Nils Koppen has settled in following his switch from Copenhagen.
Internally, West Ham feel a season in the Championship would actually be beneficial for Diouf’s development and career.
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