Everton and West Ham United have expressed interest in signing RB Salzburg’s highly rated defensive midfielder, Mamady Diambou, according to Ekrem Konur.
The 22-year-old was first spotted by the Austrian giants while playing for Guidars FC in his homeland, the same youth team as current Manchester United starlet Sekou Kone.
They promptly loaned him to their sister club FC Liefering, where regular minutes in the second division helped him adapt to European football. After making limited appearances for Salzburg, he enjoyed two productive loan spells with Swiss side FC Luzern before returning to Austria, where he has since continued to impress.
This season, Diambou has been a pivotal part of Die Roten Bullen’s bid to reclaim the Austrian Bundesliga title, having last won it in the 2022-23 season, featuring in six games and 14 in all competitions for Thomas Letsch’s side this campaign.
His performances in the middle of the park appear to have piqued the interest of several clubs, with Konur now claiming that Everton and West Ham have expressed interest in a possible swoop for the defensive midfielder.
The report adds that the Premier League sides are now exploring a deal to sign the Malian international when the winter transfer window opens in January.
Prospect
Diambou is highly rated at Salzburg, and with three years left in his contract at the Red Bull Arena, the 17-time Austrian Bundesliga champions will likely demand a fee well above his £2.6m Transfermarkt valuation.
West Ham have struggled defensively this season and must strengthen their defence if they intend to remain in the top flight. Conceding 20 goals in just nine league games highlights their frailties, and improvement with the potential addition of a combative midfielder like Diambou in that area is essential if they hope to secure a respectable finish.
Everton, on the other hand, were also searching for midfield reinforcements in the summer following Abdoulaye Doucouré’s departure as a free agent.
While Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Idrissa Gueye have performed impressively under David Moyes, the latter is nearing the twilight of his career— prompting the Merseyside outfit to target a younger defensive midfielder, with Diambou emerging as a viable option.
The 22-year-old has been key to Salzburg’s ongoing quest for an 18th league title, so it’ll be interesting to see if the Austrian giants will sanction his departure in January amid interest from Everton and West Ham.
