Brentford are close to finalising a deal to sign West Ham United defender El Hadji Malick Diouf for a fee in the region of £40million ($54.4m).The 21-year-old was absent from the matchday squad for West Ham’s 4-1 win over Southampton in the second round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday, and the home loss to London rivals Charlton Athletic at the weekend.Sources with knowledge of the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to do so publicly, say Diouf has attracted interest from three Premier League clubs, but Brentford have made the strongest push to secure the Senegal international’s signature.West Ham are set to make a significant profit on the £19m they spent on Diouf last summer. The left-back joined from Czech side Slavia Prague and registered five assists across 34 appearances in his debut season.For Brentford, Diouf will follow Mamadou Sangare, Jannik Schuster and Jaidon Anthony as new arrivals this summer. Diouf’s former West Ham team-mate Callum Wilson also joined on a free transfer.
Diouf’s two appearances this campaign have come against Portsmouth in the EFL Cup and the Championship season opener against Burnley. Given the uncertainty over his future, academy graduate Ollie Scarles has been the preferred option at left-back.Jean-Clair Todibo, Edson Alvarez, Maxwel Cornet and Soungoutou Magassa are also expected to depart before the closure of the transfer window on September 1.West Ham remain in the market for a left-back, centre-back and winger.A solution for Brentford’s problem positionAnalysis by Jay Harris Brentford have pursued Diouf throughout the summer because they have had a lot of issues at left-back over the last few years.Rico Henry ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in September 2023 and a month later Aaron Hickey suffered a hamstring injury. Hickey underwent multiple surgeries and missed the rest of the 2023-24 season. Henry, who suffered an ACL in his right knee in September 2017, and Hickey have struggled for form and fitness since then.Keane Lewis-Potter has provided cover at left-back, and he scored and performed excellently in the opening weekend victory over Tottenham Hotspur, but prefers to play as a winger.Diouf brings Premier League experience and represented Senegal at this year’s World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations.His crossing ability is one of his biggest strengths and he should create lots of chances for last season’s top goalscorer Igor Thiago. Diouf raises the level of Brentford’s squad as they target qualifying for Europe after narrowly missing out last season.Aug 26, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
