Brentford have reached an agreement with West Ham to sign Senegal left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf in a deal that could eventually be worth 40m euros (£34m).
The transfer is understood to include a further 6m euros (£5m) in potential bonuses, according to Fabrizio Romano. Diouf is expected to leave West Ham for Brentford unless there is a significant late change in the negotiations.
Brentford had identified left-back as one of the key areas requiring reinforcement during the summer transfer window. Despite making a convincing start to the season, the Bees were still looking to strengthen their defence and have now made Diouf their preferred target for the position.
At 21, Diouf is coming off an encouraging first campaign in the Premier League. He made 32 appearances for West Ham and provided five assists, form that quickly attracted interest from a number of clubs.
His departure from West Ham has become increasingly likely because of the club’s current situation. The London side were relegated to the Championship and will compete in the second tier of English football this season.
That prospect is not thought to appeal to Diouf, who is now expected to remain in the Premier League by completing a move to Brentford. If the final formalities are completed quickly, he could become one of the most significant additions made by the Bees during the summer.
The agreement between the clubs represents a major step towards completing the transfer, although the move is not yet described as finished. The remaining procedures will need to be concluded before Diouf can officially join Brentford.
Brentford are due to play their second match of the English league season against Leeds United soon. Betting company 1xbet lists Brentford at odds of 2.60 to win, with a draw priced at 3.20 and Leeds United at 2.40.
