Brentford sign Diouf from West Ham for £40m

The Senegal left-back, 21, has put pen to paper on a five-year deal at the Gtech Community Stadium, with the Bees holding the option to extend that by a further 12 months. The fee is structured as an initial £35m payment, topped up by £5m in potential add-ons.

Diouf had been Brentford’s number one target in defence throughout the summer window. Negotiations had cooled off in recent weeks before picking back up again in the past few days, eventually leading to the move over the line.

He started West Ham’s Championship season opener against Burnley, but was then left out of the matchday squad for the Hammers’ next two fixtures as the transfer took shape.

The move returns Diouf to the Premier League a season after West Ham’s relegation.

Brentford head coach Keith Andrews said: “He’s a player that fits our ideal age profile, with lots of room to still develop.”

It is Brentford’s fifth arrival of the summer, following striker Callum Wilson, midfielder Mamadou Sangare, centre-back Jannik Schuster and winger Jaidon Anthony.