West Brom and Norwich City battling European clubs in transfer pursuit of defender | OneFootball

West Brom and Norwich City are among a host of clubs keen on Toulouse centre-back Moussa Diarra.

West Brom and Norwich City are both keen on Toulouse centre-back Moussa Diarra, who will be available on a free transfer this summer as his contract with the French side expires.

The 23-year-old came through the ranks at Toulouse, and he has gone on to make over 100 appearances for the club since his debut, which came back in 2019.

That included playing a part in the side which won promotion back to the top-flight in the 2021/22 campaign, and he was involved as they won the Coupe de France 12 months later, which saw Toulouse seal a return to Europe.

The Europa League adventure saw Toulouse beat Liverpool, in which Diarra played, as they qualified from the group, but they would ultimately lose to Benfica over two legs in the knockout round.

Moussa Diarra transfer latest

Diarra has made it clear to Toulouse that he intends to leave when his contract expires in a matter of weeks, so he is poised to become a free agent.

And, it appears that he won’t be short of options, as Foot Mercato has revealed that there is plenty of interest emerging in the centre-back.

They claim that Marseille, Nice and Rennes are all considering a move for the player, whilst they claim that Real Betis and a club in Germany are all keeping tabs on Diarra.

Furthermore, the update states that West Brom and Norwich City are looking to sign the Mali international, who has won three caps for his country.

Moussa Diarra could flourish in the Championship

The calibre of clubs interested in Diarra indicates that it would be a major coup for either Norwich or Albion if they could convince him to drop to the Championship.

This is a player who has spent most of his career in the top division in France, and he has been part of a Toulouse squad that has been very successful, winning trophies and playing in Europe.

At 23, he is someone who still has room for improvement, so it really would be an outstanding bit of business for the Canaries or the Baggies if they could see off some big clubs in Europe to land Diarra.

It may seem unlikely that he would turn down those interested sides, but the Championship duo could offer a route to the Premier League, and he may not be guaranteed game time as he would at either Carrow Road or The Hawthorns.

Norwich City and West Brom need defensive reinforcements

Whether Diarra joins or not, it’s clear that Norwich need more options at the back. Grant Hanley endured a difficult year with injury, and Ben Gibson has left. So, at least one centre-back is required for new boss Johannes Hoff Thorup, as he looks to build a team that is capable of challenging for promotion.

It’s a similar story for Albion, who look set to lose the influential Cedric Kipre this summer, as he continues to assess his options, with his deal at West Brom expiring in a few weeks. Fellow defender Kyle Bartley has also been offered fresh terms, but he is yet to put pen to paper.