The fact that El Hadji Malick Diouf is not even playing for Senegal at the African Cup of Nations, while West Ham United toil in his absence, rather sums up how things are going for the Premier League outfit right now.
Nuno wasn’t wrong when he said the Hammers were ‘going to miss’ Diouf and Aaron Wan-Bissaka over the festive period.
At least, during the clash with Fulham two days after Christmas, Kyle Walker-Peters more than held his own. The same cannot really be said, unfortunately, of one Ollie Scarles.
Though El Hadji Malick Diouf had slipped some way shy of his early-season brilliance during those final few outings before the Africa Cup of Nations – defensive errors becoming more commonplace and no assists since the Graham Potter era – the recent performances of West Ham United’s reigning Young Player of the Year have many fans praying for Senegal’s early exit.
What do you think about Callum Wilson RETURNING to the West Ham XI?
And would you keep the faith with Ollie Scarles?
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Just to add to the frustration, the 2021 AFCON champions have not found much use for Diouf so far in the 35th edition of Africa’s premier competition.
West Ham United’s El Hadji Malick Diouf explains his sidelining for Senegal
Diouf missed Senegal’s AFCON opener against Botswana due to a one-match suspension he picked up before the tournament.
With Galatasaray flyer Ismael Jacobs performing so impressively in his absence, the £19 million signing from Slavia Prague was then left on the bench for a 1-1 draw with Wan-Bissaka’s DR Congo.
Whether Pape Thiaw hands Diouf his first minutes of the competition against Benin – Senegal face The Cheaters shortly before West Ham kick off against Brighton on Tuesday night – remains to be seen.
Photo by Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Nuno’s first-choice left-back is not one to throw the toys out of the pram, though, insisting that he will be supporting Jacobs from the sidelines if he is again restricted to a watching brief.
“It’s going to be a very, very complicated match,” Diouf tells D Sports. “But we are Senegal. It will be an AFCON match, so it’s bound to be difficult. We know what awaits us and we want the victory.
“Starter or not, I’m in the squad. I’ll stand by those on the pitch. That’s the most important thing. We must be united to win the AFCON, as captain Kalidou Koulibaly said.”
Senegal face Benin as West Ham host Brighton and Hove Albion
Should Senegal and DR Congo reach the latter stages, as they are expected to, Diouf and Wan-Bissaka could miss seven league matches in total. Two down so far, and concerns are already rising about Scarles’ ability to last the pace during what feels like a make or break spell in West Ham’s season.
They say no man is an island, but a tearful Scarles looked all alone as he trudged off following that fateful misplaced clearance last time out.
“We’re all good here [in the starting XI or on the bench]. We’ll accept it. We’re all here to play,” Diouf added, via Foot Senegal TV. “So there you have it, that’s the [manager’s] decision.
“It’s fine, it’s fine since there are 28 of us and we’re all here, ready to play.
“We will wait; we will remain professional because the final decision rests with the coach. If he puts me in the starting line-up, I’ll play. If I’m not a starter, I’ll stay with the team. Even if it’s just for one minute, I’m going to go in and give my maximum.”
The ASSIST KING may be coming to West Ham! 👑
How do you feel about those Souffian El Karouani links?
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Souffian El Karouani arrival could give Nuno a solution to his left-back problem
Should West Ham succeed in getting a bargain deal done early in the January window for Souffian El Karouani, though, Diouf’s absence might not be so keenly felt.
Per Dutch publication RTV, El Karouani is ‘on his way’ to England from Eredivisie outfit FC Utrecht.
Utrecht owner Frans van Seumeren has since confirmed that the West Ham target will be sold in the coming days or weeks, so long as he does not sign a contract extension at the Stadion Galgenwaard.
“We have to keep growing. The biggest challenge, and this applies to almost every football club, is the financial side of things. You want to have a balanced budget,” Van Seumeren tells Algemeen Dagblad of the Dutch-born Moroccan left-back, who has a staggering 15 assists this season already.
“We could have taken a big step before this season. Everyone knows we could have sold Souffian El Karouani to [Spartak Moscow in] Russia. The board, shareholders, and the Supervisory Board didn’t want that. Sometimes you have to choose between your morals and making money.
“A club like FC Utrecht sometimes needs a financial boost, but you also have a certain responsibility. If anyone knows Russia, it’s me. So we’ll have to do it differently.
“Of course, we’re trying to get a contract extension. Souffian has always said, ‘FC Utrecht can make money off me’. Hopefully, we’ll reach an amicable agreement. Preferably with a longer contract, otherwise I hope we can manage to sell him in the winter.”
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