West Ham United may be facing an assault from numerous angles this summer; interest apparently rising in Crysencio Summerville, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Mateus Fernandes and now El Hadji Malick Diouf.
Talented young left-back Diouf earned the admiration of many at Old Trafford when putting on a display of hitherto-unseen defensive resilience during the recent 1-1 draw between the two sides in February.
Less than a year after West Ham United invested £19 million in the Senegal international, The Guardian reports that the Red Devils have identified El Hadji Malick Diouf ahead of what is expected to be a substantial summer of high-profile arrivals.
What is your MESSAGE Man United as they target Malick Diouf? 🇸🇳
The report adds that Man United, who could secure qualification for the Champions League this weekend, are considering the prospect of signing a new left-back.
West Ham, by the way, are alleged to be ‘aware of United’s interest’.
El Hadji Malick Diouf’s West Ham loyalty may be tested by Manchester United
talkSPORT have also reported on Man United’s admiration for the former Slavia Prague flyer.
Luke Shaw, at 30, is not getting any younger. Patrick Dorgu’s flurry of goals post-Christmas, meanwhile, suggest that his future lies further forward, thus opening the door for a more traditional left-sided full-back at Old Trafford.
West Ham, of course, would be under little immediate pressure to cash in should they survive the drop. Diouf is under contract until 2030, after all.
But, speaking to Senegalese publication Wiw Sport last year, Diouf indicated that he viewed West Ham as a stepping stone of sorts on the path to an established, elite-level club. Manchester United have hardly operated like one of those in recent times, but a return to the Champions League will undoubtedly increase their allure.
“Ideally, I see myself in a top club, among the five best in the world,” Diouf said. “I think I have the potential to get there through hard work.
“And I hope, God willing, to achieve that. I have only been in the professional world for two years, so I remain patient.”
What changes are you making to this team? Just don’t think Wilson should start 😬
On the upside, Diouf does not seem like the type to demand a transfer from a club who have shown him such faith and support during an exciting but up-and-down debut campaign.
The same can be said of Mateus Fernandes, who arrived from Southampton just a month after Diouf touched down in the capital.
Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly admirers of Mateus Fernandes. Star centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos has been linked with Borussia Dortmund, while rumours linking Crysencio Summerville with Roma just will not go away.
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