West Ham United have given El Hadji Malick Diouf permission to undergo a medical with Brentford as his £40million move edges closer to completion.
The Hammers reached a verbal agreement with Brentford on Wednesday over the Senegal international, but documents and the remaining formalities still needed to be completed.
Sky Sports now reports that Diouf has been cleared by West Ham to undergo his medical.
That represents the next significant step towards the 21-year-old returning to the Premier League.
Malick Diouf moves closer to Brentford transfer
ReadWestHam reported on Wednesday that West Ham had agreed a £40m package with Brentford, with Diouf keen on the move.
The transfer has now progressed beyond the agreement stage.
The Evening Standard also reports that a medical has been booked and the deal is close to being finalised.
According to the report, Brentford will pay around £36m up front and Diouf has agreed a five-year contract.
The complete package could eventually be worth £40m to West Ham.
Diouf joined the Hammers from Slavia Prague last summer for around £19m, meaning his departure will deliver a significant profit after just one season in east London.
His exit will also leave Nuno Espírito Santo with another position to address before the transfer deadline.
Ollie Scarles is currently the main natural left-back in the squad, and our West Ham transfer blueprint identified that position as one of Nuno’s biggest remaining priorities.
The medical does not make Diouf a Brentford player yet, but an official departure is now one of the final remaining steps.
