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West Ham United winger Maxwel Cornet convinced to move by Issa Diop
West Ham United attacker Maxwel Cornet chose the London Stadium after talks with former Hammer Issa Diop, according to The Athletic.
The Ivory Coast international was ready to leave Burnley after their relegation to the Championship and the Irons activated his £17.5million release clause but there was competition from Everton and Nottingham Forest.
The 25-year-old was undecided at first but his preference to live in London was a major factor in his decision as was the European football on offer at Rush Green.
But the true thing that swung the pendulum towards West Ham was a conversation with Diop, who had just left the London Stadium to join Fulham in a £15million move.
Cornet has already impressed in short bursts in a claret and blue shirt this season and should have opened his Hammers account at Chelsea if not for a VAR decision David Moyes described as “scandalous”.
Impact
As Nikola Vlasic has found out to his cost, every new signing has to make an immediate and significant impact on the squad to ensure they remain a part of Moyes’ plans going forward.
The Croatian failed to do enough and has been subsequently loaned out just 12 months after his late summer arrival in 2021 but Cornet has fared much better so far.
His unpredictable yet electrifying style on the ball makes it an incredibly exciting watch more often than not but he also has the final product to go with it unlike similar players in world football.
His ability to also play as a left-back or wing-back will be encouraging for Moyes too although with Emerson Palmieri signed late in the window, he shouldn’t need the Ivorian to fill in.
Perhaps this conversation was Diop’s last – and maybe only – good act at West Ham as he now hopes to resurrect his career on the banks of the River Thames.