Diouf joined West Ham for £19m from Slavia Prague in the summer, and he has been one of their bright sparks this season.

Having been on West Ham‘s radar for a long time, the 21-year-old impressed Graham Potter whilst playing in Senegal’s 3-1 friendly win over England in June before his move.

Since moving to E20, he has adapted to the responsibility placed upon him and is only set to improve even more as he gains further Premier League experience.

Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Bournemouth was another prime example, and David Sullivan must be licking his lips at the prospect of making some serious profit on the Senegal international.

Malick Diouf defensively superb in West Ham vs Bournemouth

The marauding full-back was a huge miss for the Hammers while he was winning AFCON with Senegal in January, as his attacking instincts were missed.

Alongside Burnley’s Quilindschy Hartman, Diouf’s total of four assists is the most of any left-back in the Premier League.

With 12 successful crosses and 12 successful dribbles this season, Diouf has been brilliant going forward, but it was his defensive performance at the London Stadium on Saturday that caught the eye.

According to Sofascore, he won 82 per cent of his ground duels and 67 per cent of his aerial duels against the Cherries.

Diouf’s stats vs Bournemouth (via Sofascore)He also made three tackles and four headed clearances as he was part of a solid defensive display in a match where West Ham deserved all three points.

The 21-year-old has an incredibly bright future on his hands, and whilst he still has to refine certain aspects of his defensive game, he could succeed at West Ham and then leave for a considerable profit.

Given the fact that the left-back market isn’t strong, top clubs will look at Diouf as a proven option, and there is no doubt that the Hammers will sell him for much more than the £19m they spent on him.

Sullivan has been rightly criticised for poor recruitment in the past, but it’s safe to say that the West Ham chairman has gotten it spot on with Diouf.

The Sofascore graphic above shows how consistent he has been this campaign, and his total of 3.18 ball recoveries per game is a clear indication that he is vital to the side.

Malick Diouf’s defensive strengths make him indispensable to West Ham

With 21 interceptions this season, Diouf is evidently an incredibly smart footballer, and although it took him a while to showcase his maturity, he is still well above his years in how he conducts himself.

He has registered 88 clearances in the Premier League this season, which is 94.7 per cent higher than all other left-backs in the top flight.

Of course, when the Hammers are forced into selling him, it’ll be hard to replace someone with a similar profile.

However, even if this happens in the summer, West Ham are set to make an enormous amount of profit, which could either help them bounce back from relegation or enable them to have a more successful season in the Premier League in 2026-27.

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