View: Issa Diop may have played final game for West Ham after ankle ligament injury
West Ham defender Issa Diop may have played his final game for the club after suffering an ankle ligament injury that curtailed his season against Burnley.
The French centre-back was only in the side because of injuries to Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma before him, allowing the fourth-choice defender to start alongside Craig Dawson.
But after almost scoring the winner late on in the game, Diop got a kick on the ankle and it now turns out that he is likely to miss the remainder of the season because of the damage done.
While that’s an issue for the remainder of the season for the Hammers and David Moyes, who are down to just one senior centre back with a Europa League semi-final to come, it may be the end for his London Stadium career.
Diop has been frustrated with his lack of playing time this season, with his only real opportunities coming due to injuries to other players rather than on merit.
There have been plenty of rumours linking him with a move away this summer, with interest from Newcastle and some Ligue 1 clubs in January expected to carry over to the end of the season.
Moyes is known to be keen on bringing in defensive reinforcements during the summer himself, and that is likely to bring an end to Diop’s time at the club.
Should that happen, then it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see the man that Jose Mourinho once described as a ‘monster’ pull on the famous claret and blue shirt ever again.
It would be a real disappointment that he never developed into the top centre-half we all thought he could become, but also it would be a sign that the club are developing a ruthless streak that is needed to progress to the next level.
Sometimes needs must, and if an acceptable offer for Diop comes in during the summer window then most fans would expect him to depart.
It’s just a shame his career at the club will likely end on the treatment table rather than on the pitch in Seville.
In other West Ham news, West Ham ace suffers ‘serious’ ankle injury and could miss rest of season according to ExWHUemployee
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