David Moyes can revive Amadou Diawara’s wavering career amid reports that West Ham United could rival Leicester City for the AS Roma midfielder in the January transfer window.
What’s the word?
According to Calciomercato, the Irons and Foxes head up the growing chase for Diawara’s services ahead of the mid-season market, with several sides thought to be keen on the 23-year-old, who Roma are eager to offload.
The Giallorossi have placed Diawara on their transfer list as they strive to raise funds for a pursuit of Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez, who boss Paulo Fonseca has earmarked as his top target for the winter. However, Roma have been quoted a €30million (£27.1m) asking price, so they need to bring in some cash with a sale or two.
West Ham and Leicester are expected to present bids worth €20m (£18m) for Diawara’s services, just months after Arsenal being quoted with a £27m asking price amidst their own efforts to lure the Guinea international to north London.
The Gunners ultimately opted for Thomas Partey, but despite his stay, Fonseca has rarely been able to call on Diawara this season with the 11-cap ace starting just one of his three Serie A appearances while missing a month after testing positive for coronavirus.
Diawara was a far more integral aspect of the Roma starting line-up last term with 19 starts over 22 Italian top-flight outings, but even ten, he missed 10 fixtures through two separate meniscal injuries sustained either side of the New Year.
Imagine him and Rice
Moyes could form a formidable partnership at the London Stadium were he to pair Declan Rice with Diawara after a successful raid on the Stadio Olimpico in January, as the Roma outcast proved his credentials as an intimidating unit last season.
While chances to feature under Fonseca have been limited thus far this season and could be further stunted should Roma acquire Nandez, Diawara offered a strong threat in the engine room for the Italian capital outfit last term.
The 6ft enforcer averaged 1.8 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 3.1 ground duels won a game in the Serie A during 2019/20, per SofaScore, while completing each of his 0.5 dribbles, losing possession just 5.5 times, completing 40.4 passes with a success rate of 89% and playing 0.7 key balls, despite rarely venturing beyond the middle third of the field.
Moyes could help revive Diawara’s wavering career by offering the Guinea international, who stated how an extended run in the side last season brought back a lot of the confidence his meniscal injuries and the postponement of fixtures ensured he lost, a route out of Rome.
“The injury and the break didn’t help me, but now I’m playing more and I have more confidence,” Diawara told Roma TV. “I can play more games and I have to continue like this.”
AND in other news, David Moyes dodged a £34m bullet in “incredible” rocket West Ham eyed this summer.