The El Hadji Malick Diouf saga may be nearing its conclusion after top Czech sources delivered an exciting update West Ham have been desperate to hear.
Senegal defender El Hadji Malick Diouf has been heavily linked with a move to the London Stadium but West Ham have frustrated fans, and his club Slavia Prague, with their reluctance to meet his £21.5m valuation.
But this latest development could be a game-changer for the Hammers.
West Ham are one of the few Premier League teams not to have made a single signing this summer transfer window.
FIFA extended this summer’s window to the maximum permissible length of just under three months due to the Club World Cup.
West Ham fans concerned by Diouf deal delay
That gave Graham Potter a unique chance to get signings in early so he could work with them pre-season.
Potter described that as an “ideal scenario” when discussing his plans at the end of last season.
But now, six weeks into the window and just five weeks out from the new Premier League campaign getting underway, the Hammers are yet to welcome any new arrivals.
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West Ham have been making it clear to all and sundry that they are operating on a sell to buy basis.
However, now Mohammed Kudus has been controversially sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £54.5m, there are no excuses.
Tomas Soucek in action against Wolverhampton Wanderers FC for West Ham United FC - Premier League
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The Hammers have been linked with a plethora of targets in numerous positions.
Potter wants to drive down the age of the team and sign more dynamic players.
He also wants a leaner squad both in terms of size and fitness levels.
At least one, if not two, new strikers are among the priorities with two midfielders, a left-back, a centre-back and a goalkeeper the positions West Ham want to strengthen.
Further sales will be needed to fund that.
But after offloading Kudus, big questions are being asked as to why West Ham do not have deals ready to be signed, sealed and delivered.
Top Czech sources break Diouf news West Ham are waiting for
None more so than Diouf.
It was nearly two weeks ago the Irons were said to be closing on sealing a deal to make the Slavia Prague left-back their first signing of the window.
The Czech club’s manager even revealed Diouf had been kept away from training so as not to jeopardise a move to West Ham.
But Diouf is still not a West Ham player and other clubs, including Atalanta and Leeds, have been circling.
Now top Czech sources have broken major Diouf news West Ham have been waiting for.
El Hadji Malick Diouf playing for Slavia Prague in the Europa League
Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images
West Ham have good relations with Slavia having signed both Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal from the 22-time Czech champions.
A former Slavia academy product, who was also a Czech Under 19 teammate of Soucek and Coufal, teased that the Hammers were in advanced talks to sign Diouf.
Jiri Sodoma, a 30-year-old striker playing his football in the Czech National League, is close friends with Soucek, with whom he has been pictured playing Padel over the summer break.
Sodoma claimed ‘agent’ Soucek had been key to getting a deal in the works with his old club.
There were fears Diouf’s social media activity was hinting he might be joining Monaco this week.
In actual fact, Diouf may have dropped a major clue West Ham are on the verge of an exciting double deal.
West Ham were given serious encouragement on Saturday when it emerged Diouf has told West Ham he wants to join them and has ‘given the move the green light’.
After that news came to light, Hammers fans have been urging David Sullivan and co to act.
Now, according to Soucek’s pal Sodoma, that’s exactly what is happening.
Sodoma took to X to claim West Ham have submitted a third bid and were in negotiations to finally get a deal done for Diouf having had £17m and £17.5m offers rejected previously.
For reasons unknown, Sodoma deleted the post.
But hours later a leading Czech outlet is reporting that the biggest deal in the country’s football history is finally all but done.
Diouf now set for West Ham after ‘intense’ new negotiations
InFotbal journalist Patrik Bříza states that West Ham have been “negotiating intensely” with Slavia in the last 24-48 hours.
He claims that Diouf will say goodbye to the Slavia crowd on Sunday as they take on Dynamo Dresden at the Fortuna Arena – the scene of West Ham’s Europa Conference League final triumph.
The report states West Ham resumed intensive talks over signing Diouf and have “made several improvements to their offers during long and difficult negotiations”.
“West Ham is already approaching Slavia’s idea (on valuation),” inFotbal sources are quoted as saying.
“There is practically 90 per cent agreement on the transfer.”
Diouf’s transfer will eclipse that of Soucek to West Ham, listed at £13.5m, and Antonin Kinsky to Spurs, listed at £14m – both sold by Slavia Prague.