"One that is live" - Dharmesh Sheth now drops West Ham exit claim on £67k-p/w ace

West Ham defender Issa Diop‘s potential London Stadium exit is “live”, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

The £67,000 per-week star has been reduced to a bit-part player over the last two seasons and could therefore leave before September’s transfer deadline.

Having joined for a club record £22m fee back in 2018, the centre-back missed just 12 top-flight games in his first two seasons in the Premier League, forming a partnership with Angelo Ogbonna.

However, the arrival of Craig Dawson ahead of the 2020-2021 campaign and addition of Kurt Zouma 12 months later have seen Diop slip down the pecking order and make just 25 league starts across the last two years.

West Ham have strengthened their defensive options even further with Nayef Aguerd signing from Rennes, which is likely to mark the end of Diop’s stay in east London.

According to The Times, the 25-year-old is in talks over a move to neighbours Fulham, although the Hammers are holding out for £20m, with the newly-promoted outfit yet to match their asking price.

Regardless, when asked for an update on potential outgoings, Sheth admitted that Diop’s West Ham exit is currently “live”.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I think they might now start looking at departures, and one that is live is Diop.

“With Aguerd coming in and Ogbonna returning to training after that serious knee injury and Diop was finding his game-time limited without those two last season, so with him returning and Aguerd joining, he’s been pushed down the pecking order even further.”

Despite a disappointing last couple of seasons in the capital, Diop has generally been a decent option for the Hammers since making the move four years ago.

But their constant centre-back additions, with Aguerd being