Issa Diop must not be allowed to leave West Ham

West Ham are currently trying to build their squad for an upward push this Premier League season. It is equally important we don’t let our best players for the future go.

Anyone who watched West Ham this season will have highlighted Issa Diop as one for the future. Not that he’s not good now, but he’s young and showing all signs of a future top talent. So it is with absolute certainty that I say that unless Manchester United come in with an offer that would come close to buying an entirely new first XI, we must reject their advances.

Whilst there may be others that are starting to put a price on him, I just can’t see one I’d be happy with. He’s everything we’re after in a centreback, and has all of the attributes to be a future World Class centreback. So unless we’re breaking records with a bid, it’s in our interest to wait at least another season before we begin to consider his value in monetary terms.

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If you think I’m being a bit over exuberant about the skills Issa Diop has, then I don’t think you’re really considering our issue with centrebacks over the past few years, and what makes a world class centre back. He’s tall, fast and clever positionally and I think that the technical aspects will only improve when playing alongside experienced international players like Balbuena. He is head and shoulders above Ogbonna already and he’s got better since we bought him last season.

We’ve been fighting for centrebacks over the past few seasons, due to injury or complete lack of form and without a consistent pairing it is almost impossible to move up the league. Whilst I am still worried about our left back options I think that with Balbuena, Diop and Fabianski in the middle we’re going to be a lot more secure than if we have to chop and change again. Even if we do get a decent replacement. And don’t even get me started on the cash plus Phil Jones offer. Not in a million years do I think he’s going to add to the current side. At all.

So we need to push Manchester United on to their next target as they spuriously search for an answer to their centre back issues, any hesitation could mean they think we’re considering it. And we don’t want a chink in the armour. We want our side to come back robust and stronger each year. This is how we signal our intent.