West Ham United have reportedly rejected £40 million plus player bid from Manchester United for the services of Issa Diop.
According to Mirror, Manchester United have been rebuffed in their attempt to sign Issa Diop. The Red Devils reportedly tabled a £40 million bid along with a player from their own ranks in order to attain the services of the West Ham defender. But, the Hammers have rejected the offer right away and are holding out for an improved bid of £60 million.
Manuel Pellegrini is keen to keep hold of Diop, despite the player’s initial wish to leave the club, having notably handed in a transfer request in order to force a move away from London Stadium this summer. The identity of the player United are offering yet remains unknown but it could well be Andreas Pereira, who will reportedly be utilised as a sweetener in United’s pursuit of Maguire.
Diop was initially targeted as a cost-effective alternative to Manchester United’s other defensive targets this summer including Harry Maguire, Kalidou Koulibaly and Matthijs de Ligt. All of them are likely to cost a fortune, with Napoli, in particular, setting a staggering £130 million asking price for Koulibaly back in March. So essentially, Diop’s hefty valuation is likely to put Manchester United off in their pursuit of the young defender.
At the same time, however, West Ham have every right to demand a high fee for Diop considering his remarkable debut campaign in the Premier League. After joining from Toulouse for a fee of £22.5 million last summer, the Frenchman has emerged as one of the league’s most emerging centre-backs, having played a key role at the heart of West Ham’s four-man backline.
Indeed, the 22-year-old made 33 appearances in the league, building a strong defensive partnership with Fabian Balbuena and later, Angelo Ogbonna, ultimately helping the Hammers finish tenth in the league table.
That being said, making a £60 million move Diop will be no less than a risk for Manchester United, especially if we consider the mettle of players like Maguire, de Ligt and Koulibaly.
Maguire, in particular, has enjoyed two remarkable seasons at Leicester City and would arguably be the most logical option for United given his exposure in the Premier League coupled with his robust style of play that could fit in well with the physically astute nature of the Premier League.
As for West Ham, they will be rather happy if they can price Diop out of a move to Manchester United. The 22-year-old will surely play a key role as Manuel Pellegrini looks to capitalise on a promising debut campaign at the London Stadium next season. They are, however, keeping an eye on Guillermo Maripan in case any of their star defenders leave the club this summer.
