Brentford has finalized a verbal agreement with West Ham to acquire defender El Hadji Malick Diouf in a deal valued at up to £40m. The arrangement includes an initial fee of £35m, with an additional £5m contingent on performance metrics.

West Ham has accepted the bid, allowing Diouf to proceed with a medical examination. The 21-year-old Senegal left-back participated in West Ham's Championship opener against Burnley, but has since been absent from the squad in the subsequent matches.

Diouf has been Brentford's primary defensive target throughout this transfer window. Although initial discussions faced setbacks earlier this summer, negotiations were revived this week.

This transfer marks a return to the Premier League for Diouf, who faced relegation with West Ham last season. His departure represents a significant profit for West Ham, who had acquired him for £19m from Slavia Prague just a year prior.

Last season, Diouf made 34 appearances for West Ham, contributing five assists. If the deal is finalized, he will join Brentford's growing roster as their fifth signing of the summer, alongside Callum Wilson, Mamadou Sangare, Jannik Schuster, and Jaidon Anthony.

After breaking into the Senegal national team last year, Diouf also showcased his talent at the World Cup, where he played four matches. While West Ham struggled to avoid relegation, finishing 18th, Brentford had a commendable season under Keith Andrews, finishing ninth and narrowly missing out on European football due to goal difference.