El Hadji Malick Diouf has been sensationally banned from training by Slavia Prague as the club’s boss delivers a stunning claim about West Ham.
There has been a huge development for West Ham’s hopes of signing Slavia Prague left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf.
The dramatic twist has major implications for the Hammers’ pursuit of the highly rated star.
It wouldn’t be a West Ham United transfer without some drama making it a saga.
That’s certainly becoming the case with Senegal ace Diouf.
West Ham’s transfer window suddenly burst into life this week with confirmation the Hammers had submitted multiple bids for players.
New twist as Diouf becomes latest West Ham transfer soap opera
That included an official move for Slavia Prague star Diouf, who starred with an eye-catching display of pace, power, energy and expert crossing in Senegal’s 3-1 win over England.
West Ham have seen two bids rejected by Slavia for Diouf so far.
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The Czech side, who have good relations with West Ham after selling them both Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal, are demanding a league record £21.5m for the 20-year-old in the wake of bids which amounted to £17m and then £17.5m from the Hammers.
One of Soucek’s former Czech Under 19 teammates – and close friends – teased that the Hammers were close to signing Diouf heading into the weekend.
El Hadji Malick Diouf playing for Slavia Prague
Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images
Reports emanating from the Czech Republic on Friday claimed Diouf was set to fly to London this weekend for a medical with the Hammers.
But a journalist claimed West Ham were not close to signing Diouf and had, in fact, seen a second bid rejected, not accepted.
That understandably sparked doom and gloom around West Ham given the complete non-event that has been Graham Potter’s transfer window so far.
Diouf banned as Slavia boss makes stunning West Ham claim
A new Diouf twist from Czechia was great news for West Ham on Saturday as a fresh report stated negotiations were ongoing in the hope of concluding a deal.
Now there has been the most significant and official development yet – and it’s great news for the Irons.
Because Diouf has been banned from training as the Slavia boss makes a stunning West Ham claim.
Slavia sold Soucek to the Hammers for around £13.5m, a figure that has only been eclipsed once by a Czech club in a sale since – when Spurs signed Slavia’s ‘keeper Antonín Kinský for around £500k more.
Now the east Londoners are set to break that record again.
Ferencvarosi TC v SK Slavia Praha - UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round 1st Leg
Photo by Laszlo Szirtesi/Getty Images
Diouf separated from team to avoid injury
Because Diouf’s move to West Ham is expected to happen sooner rather than later.
That’s according to Slavia’s manager Jindřich Trpišovský.
And the deal is so inevitable – and important to Slavia financially – that Trpišovský has admitted he has had to ban Diouf from training with the team in order to protect him from an injury which might collapse the move.
As a result, Trpišovský says Diouf is training alone while Slavia try to reach an agreement with West Ham.
“We all suspect that the transfer (Diouf to West Ham) will happen,” Slavia boss Trpišovský admitted in a refreshingly honest update on his club’s website.
Slavia boss admits Diouf West Ham move ‘expected to happen’
“It’s a matter of time. It’s being handled by the club management…
“Malick has an individual (training) program (away from the team), we don’t want anything to happen.”
Trpišovský states that West Ham must meet their demands over Diouf’s fee but he is already moving forward without him.
“He is a player who has extraordinary quality, he will have it in the future,” he added.
“It is necessary that Slavia’s demands are satisfied. We take it as if we are without him.”
All that remains now is for West Ham to agree to Slavia’s demands for £21.5m or for a compromise to be found between £17.5m and £21.5m.