West Ham 'table' bid to buy back player sold for £18m in infamous transfer
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West Ham could bring back a familiar face to the London Stadium to work with Julen Lopetegui.
West Ham are believed to have sent a £9.7 million bid to West Brom to bring midfielder Grady Diangana back to the club.
That's according to Africa Foot, with the outlet reporting that the Hammers are making proactive moves to sign the DR Congo international. Diangana left West Ham in 2020 having come through the youth academy, joining West Brom for around £18 million.
Since then, the 26-year-old has gone on to make 167 appearances for the Baggies. Last season, he featured 36 times in the Championship, scoring seven and assisting eight, as his side made it to the play-offs.
However, Premier League football was not meant to be for the Midlands side and now Diangana could leave the club with Premier League clubs sniffing around a deal. Brighton, Wolves and Leicester City are also believed to hold interest in the player's services - the midfielder’s current deal at the Hawthorns is set to expire next summer.
During his time with the West Ham first team between 2016 and 2020, Diangana played 21 times but never cemented a role in the starting XI. He can play anywhere across the midfield and the front three, with his versatility making him a potential asset for Julen Lopetegui.
West Ham were criticised for selling Diangana in 2020 after the promise he had shown when coming through the youth ranks. Former club captain Mark Noble took to social media to publicly criticise the decision.
At the time, Noble wrote: "As captain of this football club I'm gutted, angry and sad that Grady has left, great kid with a great future."
A West Ham statement on the transfer explained the move was made "reluctantly but, ultimately in the best interests of the club". It added: "The money received for Grady will be reinvested entirely in the team, in line with the manager's targets.
"We believe that this will give us the best possible chance of ensuring we have a balanced squad to compete in the Premier League and capable of reaching our objectives and ambitions this season."