Brentford have reached a verbal agreement with West Ham to sign defender El Hadji Malick Diouf in a deal potentially worth up to £40m. The 21-year-old Senegal left-back would cost an initial £35m, with a further £5m in add-ons.
West Ham have accepted Brentford's bid, clearing Diouf to have a medical. Diouf, who played in West Ham's Championship opener against Burnley, has been excluded from the Hammers' past two matchday squads.
The defender, who played four times at the World Cup this summer, was a priority defensive target for the Bees. Discussions had stalled earlier this summer but reopened this week.
Diouf would return to the Premier League after West Ham's relegation last season. His sale would represent a significant profit for West Ham, who paid £19m for him a year ago from Slavia Prague.