Key West Ham Target ‘Has Opened Up’ To Other Club, Major Hijack Risk | OneFootball

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West Ham United are at major risk of seeing a swoop for key target El Hadji Malick Diouf hijacked by Italian club Atalanta, who have now made him the ‘main objective’.

The 20-year-old left-sided player is a long-time target of West Ham and Graham Potter wants to bring him to the London Stadium this summer.

Diouf netted seven goals while laying on three assists in the process for Slavia Prague last term and featured in the Europa League eight times for them.

His performances have drawn suitors and the Prague outfit want a fee in the region of €20m to part with Diouf.

West Ham recently sold Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham Hotspur and hopes have been high that will mean they are able to sign the Slavia Prague man.

However, West Ham have competitors for the 20-year-old in Italy in the form of Atalanta, who are in contact with Diouf’s club to secure a deal.

Now according to Italian journalist Alessandro Giovanni Pagliarini, Atalanta have made him their ‘main objective’ for the left-flank position.

And also, crucially, Diouf ‘has opened up’ to joining Atalanta this summer, which is a major blow for West Ham.

The Serie A outfit now need to find an agreement on a fee with Slavia Prague for Diouf.

Atalanta do not want to pay €20m for the Hammers target and they will try to negotiate down the asking price for the player.

West Ham have let a host of players leave the club following the expiry of their signatures in June, with left-back Aaron Cresswell being one of them.

They could sell Emerson Palmieri in the ongoing window, but it has been suggested that Diouf’s deal is not dependent on the Brazilian’s departure.

The Hammers now will have to act quickly to seal a deal for the 20-year-old to prevent Atalanta from hijacking the deal.