Paris Saint-Germain have set their sights on West Ham United centre-back Issa Diop, with the Ligue 1 giants open to a summer swoop.
According to Calciomercato, Issa Diop has emerged as a potential target for Paris Saint-Germain. The French league leaders are closely monitoring the development of the West Ham defender, with the club’s footballing director Leonardo interested in securing his services in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Diop’s current deal at West Ham expires at the end of next season. PSG are hoping to take advantage of his contract situation to sign him up for a cut-price fee in the summer. The Frenchman was even linked with a January exit from the London Stadium, but the Hammers reportedly rebuffed Newcastle United’s €8 million bid on deadline day.
A product of the Toulouse FC youth academy, Diop has been a part of the West Ham side since 2018. He joined the club for an eye-catching fee of €25 million, having been regarded as one of Ligue 1’s most promising young centre-backs at the time.
The defender lived up to his promise in the Premier League, becoming a first-team regular for West Ham in his first two seasons at the club. However, since the arrival of David Moyes, the centre-back has struggled to remain a regular in the club’s backline, with the former Manchester United boss largely favouring the likes of Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson.
Even in the new season, Moyes had opted to start with Ogbonna and new signing Kurt Zouma, before both of them got injured. Ogbonna, in particular, is out with a serious knock, which has prompted Moyes to bring Diop back into his plans.
It appears the Frenchman has not failed to catch the attention of clubs around Europe, thanks to his performances and the potential to become a top-class defender. At the age of 25, Diop has featured in 113 competitive matches for West Ham, and it appears clubs like PSG are prepared to invest in the defender for the long term.
Les Parisiens, after all, are aware of Sergio Ramos’ recent struggles with injuries, whereas the likes of Abdou Diallo and Thilo Kehrer face an uncertain future at the club. Curiously, Diallo was linked with a move to West Ham in January, so it will be interesting to see if the two parties can work out a potential player plus cash deal in the summer as both teams look to sort out their defensive unit for next season.
