West Ham Sign Senegal Defender Diouf For £19m

West Ham person signed Senegal world El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague for £19m.

The 20-year-old defender joins nan Hammers connected a semipermanent statement and is expected to meet up pinch nan club's pre-season training campy successful Germany this week.

Diouf was a cardinal subordinate for Slavia Prague erstwhile they won nan Czech top-flight title past season.

He said "a batch of clubs" were willing successful signing him, but he chose West Ham, arsenic it "was a bully scheme for me".

"I want to opportunity to nan West Ham supporters I'm very happy to beryllium present pinch them. I deliberation we'll make a very bully play this year," Diouf told nan club's website. , external

"Everyone wants to travel present to play successful nan Premier League. I deliberation it is simply a dream for everyone."

Manager Graham Potter said Diouf, who tin play astatine left-back aliases near wing-back, was a subordinate nan nine had been watching for immoderate time.

"He is young, quiet and ambitious, and I deliberation he will beryllium a very affirmative summation to nan group," he added.

Diouf near Senegal astatine nan property of 18 to subordinate Norwegian broadside Tromso successful February 2023, playing 21 times and scoring 3 goals.

He past joined Slavia Prague a twelvemonth later and scored connected his debut successful a convention triumph astatine Karvina.

Last season, he scored 7 goals arsenic Slavia won nan title by 16 points, conceding conscionable 18 goals successful 35 matches.

Diouf earned his first Senegal headdress successful an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi successful September 2024, and he played successful nan country's 3-1 friends triumph against England successful June.