West Ham doing all they can to ward off United in Diop Chase

When rumors first started that Manchester United had inquired about a potential transfer for Issa Diop, many Hammers fans worried that West Ham would give in to one of the biggest clubs in the world and sell their promising young center-back. However, West Ham has done the exact opposite, slapping a gigantic price tag on Diop and showing the world the Irons are taking steps to become a complete and competitive squad under Pellegrini.

When West Ham signed Issa Diop from Toulouse last summer for £22 million, many fans were excited about bringing in a young, tall, and commanding center-back to help aid the defense. A year has now gone by and I don’t think any West Ham fan could have imagined the position we find ourselves in. After a very impressive season, the 22-year-old Frenchman is wanted by none other than Manchester United. Usually, when United come calling for a smaller club’s players, the club can have a hard time keeping its talent. However, in West Ham’s case, the Irons have handled this transfer saga absolutely perfectly. It really seems like Husillos and Pellegrini are starting to run West Ham like a big club.

West Ham has been adamant from the beginning that they do not want to sell Diop, and Pellegrini sees him as a key member of the Hammers 2019-2020 squad. According to various reports, Manchester United came in with a bid in the region of £40m along with central defender Phil Jones. That is an absolutely laughable offer for such a young and promising talent like Diop. Manchester United should have to pay us more money to take Phil Jones off their hands! We did not even entertain the offer.

Now, rumor has it that West Ham has slapped a whopping £75m price tag on Diop, which has outraged many fans and pundits. I’ve heard Manchester United fans calling the price tag “disrespectful” and “shocking,” as many believe the price on Diop is far too high. This is simply West Ham doing a fantastic job of warding off a bigger club. Do I believe West Ham value Diop at £75m? No, I do not. However, they clearly have no interest in selling the player and are essentially telling Manchester United that if they want our player, they will have to break the bank for him. A great job by the Hammers for standing firm and protecting one of our best players. There were also rumors about potentially adding fellow Frenchman Anthony Martial to the deal, which was immediately declined by the Red Devils.

If West Ham is going to try to take a big leap into Europe under Pellegrini’s and Husillos’s leadership, they cannot sell their best players, simple as that. I think West Ham have handled the situation perfectly. It seems as though Diop will be wearing the Claret and Blue for next season. Although it is inevitable that the Hammers will eventually cash in on Diop, he will be a massive defender for us next season, and should he continue to improve, so will his price tag.