West Ham confirm signing of Senegalese Star Diouf from Slavia Prague

Diouf becomes the third player to transfer between Slavia and West Ham in the past six years, following in the footsteps of Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal.

The young defender has garnered interest from foreign clubs for an extended period. Crystal Palace submitted a bid for him during the winter transfer window, but they were unable to come to an agreement with Slavia.

Interest in Diouf has only intensified; in fact, Premier League clubs became increasingly interested following Senegal's 3-1 victory over England in June, where Diouf excelled.

Ultimately, West Ham triumphed in the pursuit of the promising player, presenting Slavia with an offer of 22 million euros plus an additional four million in bonuses, as reported.

The Prague club also retains the option to receive a percentage of any future sales. This transfer marks a record deal from the Czech league. The London club has finalized a long-term contract with the player, who will don the number 12 shirt.

Diouf said: “I’m really happy to be here and to make a progression for my career. I’m looking forward to working hard and joining my new teammates. Several clubs were interested, but West Ham was my first choice. I spoke to the coach (Graham Potter), and the plan presented made a lot of sense," he added.

Diouf described moving to the Premier League as the pinnacle of his career: “Everyone wants to come here to play in the Premier League. I think it is a dream for everyone. When they are here, they want to make everything good. I think they also have the personality to play here, and if you are young, you want to continue your progression."

Head coach Graham Potter also did not hide his satisfaction with the new signing: “We are very pleased to welcome El Hadji Malick to West Ham United,” said Potter. “He is a young player we have been watching for some time, and somebody that we believe can be a really good fit for what we are trying to build at the Club.

He has demonstrated remarkable character strength and maturity at a young age, having left his home in Senegal to relocate to Norway at 18, and subsequently moving to Prague - his performances have consistently remained at a high level for an extended period.

"The Premier League will be a challenge for him, but he is ready for it. He is young, hungry and ambitious, and I think he will be a very positive addition to the group.”

Diouf joined Slavia at the start of 2024 from Tromso in Norway and gradually worked his way into one of the key men of their squad. The Ziguinchor native played a total of 50 competitive matches for the Prague club, scoring nine goals and setting up four more for his teammates.