Brentford have signed Senegalese left-back, El Hadij Malick Diouf in a £40m transfer from West Ham.
Diouf’s move comes after just one season at West Ham in which he made 34 appearances as the Hammers suffered relegation from the Premier League to Championship, and he made two further appearances at the start of this season.
The 21-year-old consequently has left the East London club having made 36 appearances, after West Ham accepted a £40m offer from Brentford, which consisted of a fixed £35m fee and £5m in add-ons.
Diouf has signed a five-year contract until June 2031 with a club option for a further year and in his first interview as a Bee, he explained that he felt that Head Coach, Keith Andrews gave his “a good plan,” for his role at the club and development potential.
“I spoke with the manager and he gave me a good plan for how I can develop, so I think it’s a good place for me to be.
“They’ve seen things in me that maybe I didn’t see myself. They’re looking forward to helping me and I’m really happy with the plan. I’m looking forward to continuing my progression.”
Diouf added that he had monitored Brentford last season as he praised their athleticism and believes that he can fit into the team.
“The team is very athletic and I have that profile as well, so I think I can adapt well to the team.”
The youngster also jokingly quipped that his ambition with the Bees is to try and challenge for the Premier League title, but iterated that he simply wants to develop his talent on a more serious note.
“Why not win the league?
“I want to have a big role here. I think you have to be patient and try to grow.”
Brentford’s Head Coach, Keith Andrews added: “We’re really pleased that we were able to sign Malick.
“He’s a player that fits our ideal age profile, with lots of room to still develop.
“I think he had a really good year at West Ham in his first season in English football, and some of the qualities and attributes he has as a full-back really add to an already impressive part of our team.
“I’m really keen to get to work with Malick.”
Diouf begam his senior career at Norway’s Tromsø with three goals in 21 appearances across 2023 before he moved to Slavia Prague in January 2024 where he scored nine goals in 50 appearances. .
Diouf represents Senegal at international level with one goal in 23 senior caps since his debut in September 2024, with his sole goal having came in a 8-0 friendly victory over Kenya in November 2025.