West Ham have been linked with a move for AS Roma midfielder Amadou Diawara in recent days by Forza Roma, although the 23-year-old has since insisted he is happy at his current club.
Speaking to Sky Italia, the Guinean felt the need to go public with his feelings amid the transfer links, insisting: “Yes, I’m happy to be here. I see a team that is growing but it doesn’t surprise me, because we work well in training and that work is bearing fruit.”
Diawara missed a period of this season following a positive virus test but has played three times in Serie A since returning from that absence.
The former Napoli central midfielder has 11 caps for Guinea and is highly regarded as a ball-winning player who rarely gives away possession – his 90.9% passing accuracy rate outranks every player at West Ham so far this season (taking out Robert Snodgrass’ two accurate passes in his solitary minute of game-time).
The Hammers weren’t the only team reportedly interested in the £23m-rated man, as fellow Premier League clubs Leicester City, Arsenal and Tottenham were also linked during the summer transfer window.
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Whilst a profession of happiness doesn’t necessarily rule out the possibility of a transfer, a move for Diawara seems unlikely to materialise in the near future.
David Moyes’ Irons squad is in desperate need of central midfield reinforcements. Currently, the manager only has three players to call upon in that sector in Declan Rice, Mark Noble, and Tomas Soucek.
Should one or more of the trio be absent for any reason, with bookings being an occupational hazard as defensive-minded midfielders which could make suspension a real possibility, Moyes could be left seriously bereft of options.
