West Ham grants permission for El Hadji Malick Diouf to undergo medical with Brentford

West Ham United have given El Hadji Malick Diouf the green light to complete a medical with Brentford, clearing the final hurdle before what would be a £40 million transfer. For a club preparing for life in the Championship, turning a one-season rental into a near-100% return on investment is about as good as relegation gets. The deal is structured around an initial payment of roughly £35-36 million, with add-ons pushing the total to the £40 million mark. West Ham signed Diouf from Slavia Prague in July 2025 for a reported £19 million, meaning the profit on this single transaction could fund a meaningful chunk of their promotion campaign. From Prague to east London to west London Diouf’s journey to becoming a £40 million footballer has been unconventional by Premier League standards. Born in late December 2004, the Senegalese defender cut his teeth at Tromsø in Norway before moving to Slavia Prague, where he helped win the Czech league title. West Ham came calling in July 2025, bringing him to England’s top flight for £19 million. At 20 years old, he was thrown into the deep end of Premier League football. Diouf made 33 appearances across the 2025/26 season, registering five assist...