What West Ham have told Sunderland as offer made for El Hadji Malick Diouf

The race for West Ham's El Hadji Malick Diouf is heating up as Sunderland register their formal interest.

The Senegalese fullback emerged as one of the Irons' key player last season, particularly with his attacking qualities.

Now, with the Hammers in the Championship, the E20 outfit's resolve over the defender is beginning to be tested.

Premier League side Brentford have launched a bid for Diouf as they hope to snap the left-back up.

The outcome of that £40million approach has yet to be communicated.

But with news of Sunderland entering the race, it may point to a likely answer.

What has been said about Sunderland's offer for El Hadji Malick Diouf?

Nuno Espirito Santo will not want to lose any more key players following the departures of Mateus Fernandes and Cyrsencio Summerville.

But Diouf's saga could be set to continue throughout this window.

As stated, the race is heating up with Brentford and Sunderland now battling it out for the 21-year-old

That is at least according to Senegalese journalist Khadim Diakhate, who writes for Senagal outlet DSports.

Taking to X, he shared that Sunderland made an offer for Diouf, which was batted away due to being below the Hammers' £50m valuation.

Addtionally, he does share that an offer between £40m and £45m could be reached to sign the defender.

However, with Brentford set to be battled by Sunderland, you would expect the Championship side to leverage both of their interests in the player.

A bidding war could be on the cards this summer with Sunderland now seeking a replacement for Arthur Masuaku.

Losing Diouf would be a major blow as they seek instant Premier League promotion so maintaining their staunch price tag is a smart move.

Why West Ham must remain in control over Diouf

Unlike Premier League sides, West Ham don't have the luxury of another week until the season starts.

The Hammers are set to take on Burnley on 16 August at 4 pm. Even though it is the first game of the campaign, every point matters.

One win could be the difference between automatic promotion or falling into the play-offs, or missing out entirely.

Allowing a saga over Diouf to drag on and potentially interfere with those goals must be avoided.

Keep the price tag at what is listed and do not entertain negotiations below your set value.