Former West Ham United defender Issa Diop has completed a permanent transfer from Fulham to Ipswich Town. The Morocco international has signed a contract until 2030 after helping his country reach the World Cup quarter-finals this summer.
Ipswich confirmed Diop’s arrival for an undisclosed fee on Wednesday. The 29-year-old will join Gary O’Neil’s squad after the club completes its training camp in La Manga.
Diop said Ipswich was the right destination for the next stage of his career. He also highlighted the positive conversations held with the club before completing the move.
The centre-back arrives with 173 Premier League appearances across spells with West Ham and Fulham. Ipswich will hope his experience can strengthen their defence following promotion to the top flight.
Issa Diop begins latest Premier League chapter
West Ham signed Diop from Toulouse for a then club-record fee in 2018. He became a regular during his first season and later featured in teams which finished sixth and seventh in the Premier League.
Diop also helped David Moyes’ side reach the Europa League semi-finals during the 2021/22 campaign. He scored eight goals in 119 appearances before joining Fulham later that summer.
The defender made 96 appearances during four seasons at Craven Cottage. His final summer with Fulham included an impressive World Cup campaign after switching his international allegiance to Morocco.
Diop played five times during the tournament and scored against the Netherlands. Morocco eventually reached the quarter-finals before losing to France.
His move leaves Ipswich with a defender already accustomed to Premier League football. West Ham, meanwhile, continue searching for defensive reinforcements ahead of their Championship promotion campaign.
The Hammers recently made contact over bringing Axel Disasi back from Chelsea, although the Frenchman reportedly wants to remain in a top division.
Diop will now prepare to face his former club Fulham and could eventually line up against West Ham if Nuno Espírito Santo leads the Hammers back into the Premier League.
