Manchester United is considering a move for Senegal star El Hadji Malick Diouf

El Hadji Malick Diouf is attracting serious interest from multiple Premier League clubs, with Manchester United emerging as the frontrunner to sign the Senegalese international, The Guardian reports.

The young West Ham United star is viewed by the Red Devils as the right profile to bolster their left back position and also to give Luke Shaw a proper competition.

With Champions League football assured and other competition that could increase the workload on players next season, United want to seize the opportunity to beef up their squad depth to potentially meet the demand next season.

Malick Diouf’s attacking numbers impress Manchester United scouts.

Diouf’s numbers at West Ham following his move from Slavia Prague explain why United scouts are circling. His performances has been fantastic week-in and week – out and almost starting every game of the season in the Premier League.

Despite West Ham United’s poor performance this season, his individual statistics shows why not only Manchester United, but a lot of premier league teams have his name written among their list for this summer transfer window.

West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf has emerged as a TARGET for Manchester United

He has recorded 5 assists in the Premier League this season, ranking him joint-first among all league defenders.

He has also created 24 chances in the Premier League this season, averaging 0.88 chances per 90 minutes.

El Hadji Malick Diouf has also made 80 crosses, making him a high-volume crosser at left back. His presence in the opponent box is also another factor to consider for the Senegalese international.

How does Malick Diouf meet all the criteria for Manchester United?

El Hadji Malick is just 21 years of age with the right amount of energy, which makes him tick all the boxes for the profile Man United wants.

Luke Shaw, who is the current first option for the Manchester United left-back position, is now 30 years old, and he’s in the fading phase of his career as a professional footballer.

While Luke Shaw remains a high-quality player, his career at United has been frequently interrupted by injuries.

However, Malick Diouf has shown remarkable durability this season, starting 28 out of 30 games in the EPL and clocking over 2,500 minutes of competitive football.

Possible transfer fee and summer window expectations

El Hadji Malick Diouf current market value on Transfermarkt is €28. But reports from The Guardian suggest West Ham would ideally demand €40M–€45M to even consider a sale. However, with the Hammers being relegated to the Championship, their negotiating power is now weak.

Many reports are also suggesting that, the Hammers will have to generate 100M Euros in player sales to survive financially next season.

This means that they will now reduce their demands and consider accepting a fee that is a little bit higher or lower than the player’s market value.

West Ham recorded losses of over £104M for the previous financial year. So if they need to balance their books, Manchester United can take advantage of that and sign him for less than €40M.

Why we think El Hadji Malick Diouf signing make sense for Manchester United.

Manchester United’s move for El Hadji Malick Diouf makes a lot of sense to us in different ways.

The Player’s Age

Ever since INEOS took over the sporting side of Manchester United, one thing that is clear is players’ age whenever they are making a signing.

The primary transfer policy for the club stated clearly a maximum age limit of 25 for new signings.

The idea behind it was that they wanted to invest in players before they reached their peak, and Malick Diouf falls within the limit.

Premier League experience.

The Senegalese international has spent 1 year in the Premier League, joining West Ham United last summer.

He made 31 appearances and provided 5 assists even when his team was battling relegation. His standalone performance this season makes him an ideal option for a Luke Shaw replacement.

Manchester United’s signings last summer have proven that signing a player with Premier League experience can be of benefit, and he ticks that box too.

Low Asking Price or Transfer Fee.

One of the key points of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s five rules was not to overpay for players, and United is gradually seeing that out.

Over the years, Manchester United was seen as a club that chases overpriced players. Teams always double or triple their asking price whenever United comes forward for negotiations.

The INEOS era is trying to change that narrative around the club by resisting players they think are not worth their asking price. This makes the Diouf deal more achievable, as West Ham will be forced to lower their asking price upon their confirmed relegation status.