El Haji Malik Diouf has quickly made an impact since his arrival at West Ham United, quickly establishing himself as one of the few positives of his challenging campaign at London Stadium.
The Senegalese defender wasted no time settling in British football. Not only is it defensive solidity, but it also shows a willingness to contribute in the future, giving the hammer an extra dimension at both ends of the pitch.
The 20-year-old’s performance has provided encouragement, but West Ham’s broader context doesn’t feel much more at ease. As the club gets caught up in a fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League, speculation has already begun about the future of some of the more talented players in the event of the worst.
West Ham Summer’s signature praised his performance
Veteran commentator Ian Dark spoke with West Hamzone to highlight DIOUF as one of the club’s impressive performers.
“He’s just stepped into the West Ham door, and he’s one of the few players that impressed him.” Dark explained.
“He’s an eye-catching signature and I’m sure fans like him need better players like him. They certainly don’t want to lose him anytime soon.”
However, Darke also acknowledges that relegation could cause key players to leave, and Diouf is inevitably attracting attention from other clubs.
“He’s just been on the line so you don’t think he’s afraid to lose him yet, but if they fell, there’s probably a lot of players out there.” He added.
Graham Potter’s clock is ticking
For now, Diouf is committed to the fight and appears determined to help stabilize his defense during the important stretches of the season.
He is being asked about manager Graham Potter and whether he is the right guy to work for the Hammer.
Recently looted Nottingham Forest Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been linked to the move to the Hammer, and West Ham hierarchy shows faith in Potter at this point, but could quickly change with some poor results in upcoming matches.
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