Report: West Ham ready to make 22-year-old a ‘top earner’

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West Ham United are prepared to make Issa Diop a top earner at the club, amid recent links to Manchester United.

The French star has emerged as a target for the Red Devils, with the Old Trafford club having had a bid of £40 million plus a player turned down (The Mirror).

The Hammers have slapped a £75 million price tag on the former Toulouse defender (The Telegraph), making it very clear they do not wish to sell.

Diop had an impressive debut campaign in 2018/19, becoming a mainstay in Manuel Pellegrini’s starting XI.

According to The Metro, West Ham are so keen to keep Diop that they are willing to enter negotiations over a possible new deal for the ace.

The club want to make him one of their top earners, with Javier Hernandez currently the best-paid player at the London Stadium on £140,000-a-week, according to Spotrac).

TBR’s view

West Ham are making it very clear how much they want to keep hold of Diop.

Their stance so far has been admirable, and the player should be pleased to see how much they genuinely value him.

Despite United’s struggles in recent times they remain an attractive proposition, so West Ham aren’t out of the woods just yet.

The fact they are willing to put Diop in the Hernandez bracket of pay though could well be enough to fend off the 20-time Premier League champions.