Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Thu 21 May 2026 16:00, UK

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El Hadji Malick Diouf will likely be among the West Ham United players looking for a move away this summer if the club are relegated from the Premier League.

The Senegal international joined from Slavia Prague last summer in a deal worth around £19million, and has enjoyed a strong opening season.

The 21-year-old’s superb ability to cross the ball has been a key attacking facet for West Ham, despite all of their issues.

The Irons could still stay up on the final day, but their remaining hopes lay in the hands of Everton, who travel to Tottenham.

West Ham transfer chiefs will have been working on the basis of two target lists ahead of this summer, with the one for if they are relegated sure to feature far more sales.

El Hadji Malick Diouf receives World Cup call-up

Football Insider exclusively revealed earlier this month that West Ham will demand a big fee for Diouf this summer, as they attempt to make an instant profit.

The same can be said for several of the Hammers’ brightest talents. Mateus Fernandes is reportedly attracting big interest from the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United, and he is not alone.

Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, Konstantinos Mavropanos and several others have been tipped for moves away this summer if West Ham are relegated, in what will be a devastating transfer window.

But there is an element of risk for the likes of Diouf, too. He is under contract until 2030, and could be forced to spend a year of his development in the Championship if the asking price is not met.

The Senegalese defender initially caught the eye with a fine international performance, and he may well have to do something similar to persuade suitors this summer.

Diouf has been called up to Senegal’s World Cup squad, with matches against France, Norway and Iraq to take place in the group stage.

Impress on that type of stage, and the left-back will surely be inundated with transfer offers upon his return.

The international performance that sealed Diouf’s West Ham move

In June last year, Senegal travelled to the City Ground for a friendly against England. Diouf, a talent unknown to English football at the time, faced up against one of the world’s best right-wingers, Bukayo Saka.

What followed was a masterclass from the defender, who refused to let the Arsenal man past him.

He would end the game with five recoveries and two tackles, having kept Saka out for the entirety of his time on the pitch.

Diouf was brilliant going forward, too, creating three chances for his teammates with incredibly dangerous balls into the box.

While West Ham surely would have already had the defender on their radar, it was perhaps this performance that sealed their commitment to signing him.