West Ham would sell Issa Diop for around £10m, late replacement needed
West Ham will consider selling Issa Diop in the final 48 hours of the January transfer window if an offer of around £10million comes in, according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon.
The newspaper reports that Newcastle are keen on the 25-year-old Frenchman as they aim to add to their centre-back options and have approached West Ham with an enquiry.
It is understood that if the Hammers do sell Diop, they will need a last-gasp replacement and Nixon claims there are whispers at the club suggesting Sheffield United’s John Egan could be eyed up.
Wait… what?
While Diop hasn’t been amazing for West Ham, why on earth would we sell him and try to replace him with Egan?
The 29-year-old Ireland international was relegated with Sheffield United last season and the Blades have hardly pulled up trees in the Championship.
Diop has played more times in the Premier League, he’s younger, he’s likely to have a higher transfer value and he’s not a bad defender.
Selling him to Newcastle and then replacing him with someone getting close to 30 out of the Championship seems like a very risky – and pointless – move.
West Ham’s defensive options are light as it is so it makes no sense to sell Diop.
David Moyes needs a new centre-back to at least help see out the rest of the season while Angelo Ogbonna is injured. Selling one of his existing centre-backs means he’ll need to sign two in less than two days.
We really hope this doesn’t happen unless selling Diop means we can bring in someone who is a lot better.
Egan may be decent but he’s not a major upgrade on Diop.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are ready to make a last-ditch bid to sign this Premier League striker.