RMC Sport claim Newcastle have tabled an offer of £6.5million to sign West Ham United defender Issa Diop on deadline day. Diop has been linked with Newcastle thorughout January, and a deadline-day move is on the cards.
Diop, 25, is currently a crucial part of West Ham’s side – following recent injuries to Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna. The latter is out for the season but Zouma has now returned – and it saw Diop drop to the bench.
The fact it was Diop to drop out and not Craig Dawson makes him West Ham’s fourth-choice – though Ogbonna is out. The Hammers could sign a centre-back themselves, with Marseille’s Duje Caleta-Car being linked.
West Ham paid £22million (BBC) to sign Diop in the summer of 2018, and has since played 112 times for the Hammers. Newcastle’s offer would see West Ham lose out on £15million of the fee they paid to sign him.
Newcastle eye Diop: Unless West Ham sign replacement, he stays
The issue regarding Newcastle’s move for West Ham star Diop, is that the Hammers are lacking in numbers in the middle of the defence themselves. West Ham, then, will only sell if they get a replacement in.
Croatia international Caleta-Car looks the most likely but whether the Hammers can strike a deal in time to sort one out for Diop remains to be seen. Things will have to run smoothly on deadline day, for it to happen.
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