West Ham United defender Issa Diop has struggled to make a positive impact at the London Stadium since his £22m move from Toulouse in 2018, a fee that, at the time, was a club record for the East London outfit.
Almost four years on from joining the Hammers, the French centre-back has struggled to win over supporters.
Recently, the 25-year-old received plenty of criticism for his display against National League North side Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Cup, with the Premier League defender struggling against a sixth-tier outfit.
However, the main measurement of Diop’s struggles at the London Stadium can be identified by his market value, which has steadily declined since swapping Ligue 1 for the English top flight.
In fairness to the defender, his first season was tolerable as the Frenchman made 33 Premier League appearances as the Hammers finished tenth. As a result, Diop saw his market value increase from £19.8m to £31.5m, according to Transfermarkt.
Unfortunately for West Ham, this appreciation in value was a false hope and the £61k-per-week defender’s time in the English capital has been a nightmare.
Over the past three years, the 25-year-old has seen his market value drop staggeringly from £31.5m to £10.8m, now worth three times less than three years ago.
It also means that the defender is worth less than half of what the East London outfit bought him for.
The centre-back has made 118 appearances thus far for the Hammers, with this season seeing manager David Moyes call upon him mainly in cup competitions, playing 12 times across the Europa League, EFL Cup and FA Cup as well as 11 Premier League matches.
There is no doubt that the 25-year-old is at the bottom of the West Ham’s defensive hierarchy below Kurt Zouma and Craig Dawson, with Angelo Ogbonna still recovering from an ACL injury that has kept the Hammers light at the back.
With just one year left on his contract after this season, Diop will certainly be considering his future and whether or not he could revive his tenure at the London Stadium.
Should West Ham sell Diop?
Yes
No
If the Hammers are to re-qualify for Europe for next season, there may be the occasional opportunity for the defender as West Ham juggle four competitions once again. However, after a disappointing January transfer window, it appears likely that the East Londoners will invest somewhat heavily in the squad this summer.
Therefore, it appears as though Diop’s days in claret and blue could be numbered as we enter the final two months of the 2021/22 campaign.
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