Everton are on the hunt for a centre-back this summer and have been linked with a move for Issa Diop. The Toffees missed out on signing the 23-year-old back in 2018 before his move to West Ham, but they may have a chance to get him this summer as latest reports suggest Diop may be looking to leave.
According to TEAMtalk, Diop wants out of West Ham when the summer transfer window opens, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be granted a departure. The Frenchman has been a regular under David Moyes this season, making 26 appearances in all competitions before the Covid-19 pandemic halted proceedings, so he’s a key player at the London Stadium.
And if Moyes was to sell Diop, it wouldn’t be for cheap. As per the Metro last month, the 23-year-old has a £60m asking price while Spotrac say his contract at West Ham is worth £3.48m-a-year/£66.9k-per-week. If Everton were to bring Diop to Goodison Park, he’d be their most expensive signing.
Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United’s interest in the 23-year-old may be a problem, however. Diop may have his pick of suitors this summer, so would he really choose Everton over the aforementioned trio? And would the Toffees really pay so much money to bring him to Merseyside?
Diop fits the bill of a Marcel Brands signing given his age, but the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, Tosin Adarabioyo and Marash Kumbulla would be available for half the price and significantly less in wages. Everton are being linked with a lot of centre-backs, so it remains to be seen who eventually makes the switch.