"I know..." - Journalist claims £67k-p/w ace is now "definitely open" to leaving West Ham

West Ham United defender Issa Diop is ‘definitely open to a move’ away from the London Stadium this summer, according to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown.

The 25-year-old has struggled for regular game time under the tutelage of manager David Moyes in recent years and could seek pastures new ahead of next term.

According to West Ham insider ExWHUemployee, both Lazio and Lyon are keen to offer Diop a way out of the capital club following four largely underwhelming years on English shores.

“Lazio in Italy are looking at Diop; there’s clubs from France that are also interested in him,” the transfer insider revealed on his The West Ham Way podcast.

“Our opponents in the [Europa League] quarter-finals, Lyon, are also after him. So, I think if we could get a centre-back in, and we get maybe another one in, Diop will go.”

The former France Under-21 international has found himself behind Angelo Ogbonna, Kurt Zouma and Craig Dawson in Moyes’ thinking of late and could be forced to move on in search of guaranteed game time.

Brown has disclosed that Diop is ‘well aware’ that he’s only ever going to have a backup role at West Ham and is consequently willing to depart east London this summer.

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He told GiveMeSport: “As far as I know, he’s well aware that he’s not going to get regular first-team football at West Ham.

“He’s not going to be anything more than a backup really to two, possibly three other centre-backs. So, he is someone who is definitely open to a move.”

West Ham splashed out on a then club-record £22 million to prise Diop away from boyhood club Toulouse back in July 2018.

And the 6 foot 4 ace enjoyed a successful