Brentford are close to finalising a deal to sign Senegalese West Ham United defender El Hadji Malick Diouf for around £40 million during the current summer transfer window.
According to The Athletic, Brentford have moved decisively to secure the deal, outpacing interest from three other Premier League clubs in the 21-year-old Senegalese defender.
Diouf was omitted from West Ham's squad for their 4-1 EFL Cup victory over Southampton and did not feature in last round's defeat to Charlton Athletic, amid growing expectations of his imminent departure from the club.
West Ham stand to make a significant financial profit from selling the player, having signed him last summer from Czech side Slavia Prague for £19 million; he contributed five goal assists across 34 appearances in his first season.
Diouf has featured in only two matches for West Ham since the start of the current season: against Portsmouth in the EFL Cup and Burnley on the opening day of the Championship, before academy graduate Ollie Scarles emerged as the first-choice left-back.
Brentford's interest in Diouf comes amid persistent left-back issues over recent years due to recurring injuries to Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey, while Keane Lewis-Potter prefers playing as a winger despite impressing at left-back against Tottenham in the opening round.
Diouf is expected to join several new signings at Brentford this summer, notably Mamadou Sangaré, Yannik Schuster, and Jaydon Anthony, alongside Callum Wilson, who arrived on a free transfer.
Brentford hope that securing Diouf will provide a strong boost for the new season, especially given their ambition to compete for European qualification after narrowly missing out on qualifying spots last season.
The Senegalese defender brings Premier League experience and has represented his national team at both the FIFA World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. His ability to deliver accurate crosses is among his key strengths, which could greatly benefit Brentford striker Igor Thiago.
Meanwhile, West Ham are preparing further squad changes, with Jean-Clair Todibo, Edson Álvarez, Maxwell Cornet, and Songoto Magasa expected to depart, while the club continues searching for a left-back, a centre-back, and a winger before the transfer market closes on September 1.
