West Ham United are monitoring the availability of Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra.
What’s the latest on Habib Diarra to West Ham?
According to Alan Nixon (via his Patreon), the Hammers have sent “top people” to watch the 19-year-old, who is set for a “major” move to England.
It was also detailed that a staggering nine clubs watched the Senegalese-born star last weekend, including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Leicester.
It is understood that Strasbourg value the player at around £20m and are willing to sanction his departure if this fee is met.
However, it is set to be a hotly contested race for this generational ace, and he would undoubtedly benefit David Moyes to extraordinary lengths.
What would Habib Diarra bring to West Ham?
The teenage sensation has made 27 Ligue 1 appearances for the French outfit this season and has registered six goal contributions in an incredible breakout campaign.
The player has showcased to be a mesmeric dribbler which allows him to breeze past opponents with his unbelievable athleticism. This is reflected by the fact that he incredibly ranks in the top 1% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries per 90, as well as the highest 20% for successful take-ons per 90, according to FBref.
The teenage sensation has made 27 Ligue 1 appearances for the French outfit this season and has registered six goal contributions in an incredible breakout campaign.
The player has showcased to be a mesmeric dribbler which allows him to breeze past opponents with his unbelievable athleticism. This is reflected by the fact that he incredibly ranks in the top 1% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries per 90, as well as the highest 20% for successful take-ons per 90, according to FBref.
The Czech dismally ranks in the bottom 6% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive passes, and his personal slump has been a contributing factor to his side’s decline, with talkSPORT’s Tom Rennie suggesting he has been “woeful”.
Diarra is the embodiment of a new era and his imperious form has led football talent scout Jacek Kulig to label the £19k-per-week man as a “big talent” so for West Ham to beat off the competition for this gift would be a huge statement.
The thought of an Irons midfield without Declan Rice is a frightening prospect, but those fears can be eased by Diarra, who is brimming with limitless potential and boundless versatility. His presence in the engine room could even lead to Soucek losing his place with it clearly now a time for Moyes to prioritise the future.
According to Transfermarkt, the France U19 International has appeared as a defensive and attacking midfielder, as well as deputising in wide position, clearly boasting better versatility than the aforementioned Czech colossus.
Diarra’s functionality is like gold dust in the modern era and is extremely underappreciated. For a West Ham side that could be competing in the Europa League next season, they will need a player of his calibre to provide meaningful depth, even if does represent bad news for Soucek.
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