Why Tottenham must plot a summer swoop for West Ham’s Issa Diop
Back in December, Sky Sports had claimed that Tottenham were interested in signing West Ham defender Issa Diop. However, no deal materialised during the January transfer window and the defender stayed put at the London Stadium.
Issa Diop, 23, joined West Ham from Toulouse in the summer of 2018 and made 33 Premier League appearances in his debut season at the club, scoring a goal. However, the Frenchman hasn’t had a great season this time around, finding himself in and out of the starting XI. So far, he has made only 19 league appearances.
Despite Diop not performing as per his standards this term, Tottenham must rekindle their interest in the defender during the summer transfer window.
Spurs have struggled defensively this season, conceding 36 goals in 27 games. They lost to Chelsea 2-1 earlier, which now sees them 4 points behind 4th-placed Blues.
Neither Toby Alderweireld nor Davinson Sanchez has lived up to the required standards this season. Sanchez has been error-prone at the back, while Alderweireld’s form has wavered throughout the 2019/20 season. Jan Vertonghen has entered the final few months of his contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and could be on the move at the end of the season if he doesn’t extend his deal.
Thus, it’s vital Mourinho reinforces his struggling backline in the summer and brings in Issa Diop from Tottenham’s London rivals West Ham.
Diop, after a slow start to life in England, enjoyed an impressive debut season with the Hammers and became indispensable to then-manager Manuel Pellegrini as he made 38 appearances in all competitions.
In fact, during Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat to West Ham last season, when Mourinho was in charge of the Red Devils, the Portuguese tactician congratulated the Hammers for scouting Diop and termed the defender a ‘monster’.
Read more
- Why Tottenham should make a move for Dean Henderson in the summer
- Why Tottenham deciding to sell Eric Dier is a good move
- Why Tottenham should go for Ben Godfrey in the summer
Talented and with plenty of room for improvement in the years to come, Diop has shown his ability to perform in the English top-flight and would be a valuable asset to the team if he is able to replicate the same form he showed at the London Stadium last season.
His massive potential means the former Toulouse man could well prove to be a smart long-term investment for Spurs, who have been shipping goals at an alarming rate this season.
Verdict
Diop is a talented player and under the guidance of one of the best managers in Mourinho, the Frenchman can develop into a top centre-back. Thus, Tottenham must do everything possible to sign the 23-year-old from West Ham in the summer.
