adminWest Ham United Finally Make Moves in the Transfer Market
After a quiet start to the summer, West Ham United have begun to pick up pace in the transfer window. Daniel Cummings has become the club’s first new signing of the off-season, and talks are rapidly advancing over a deal for highly-rated left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf.
It’s often said you wait all summer for a signing, and then several come at once.
While Cummings — a promising Scotland U19 striker — adds depth to the academy, he’s not the marquee addition fans have been hoping for. Diouf, however, could be just that.
The Hammers are reportedly closing in on a £21.5 million agreement with Slavia Prague for the Senegalese left-back, who impressed earlier this summer by giving England’s Bukayo Saka a torrid time in Nottingham. Diouf has also attracted interest from Nottingham Forest, Leeds, Brighton, Crystal Palace, and even Atalanta, but West Ham appear to have won the race for his signature.
Meanwhile, West Ham are continuing to bolster their academy. Following the arrival of Joel Kerr earlier this year, they’ve now signed 16-year-old Northern Ireland right-back Callum Leacock from Linfield. A dual-sport athlete, Leacock is also a talented Gaelic footballer and represented Derry GAA at minor level.
Leacock made his Linfield senior debut in April and has represented Northern Ireland at U17 level. He’s now signed a three-year deal with the Hammers and hopes to follow in the footsteps of Vladimir Coufal as a first-team full-back in the future.
Steve Beacom of the Belfast Telegraph noted the increasing number of Northern Irish prospects moving to England, calling Leacock a “talented boy” who began his journey at Magherafelt Sky Blues.
Leacock joins fellow Northern Irish youngster Joel Kerr, who arrived from Glentoran and is already tipped for big things. Glentoran’s Head of Player Development, Andy Mathieson, praised Kerr’s talent and mindset, calling him “a natural footballer with real quality” and an “exceptional” young professional with a strong work ethic.
West Ham’s academy has also welcomed Vladimir Coufal’s son, with the Czech international still seeking a new club in London to remain close to his family. While Coufal missed out on a move to Fulham, his experience would benefit many clubs in the capital.
As the Hammers look to build for the future, both on and off the pitch, these recent signings mark a promising shift in momentum at the London Stadium.
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