West Ham new boy Issa Diop has conceded that he is yet to achieve anything in football and believes the Hammers will help him to develop into a top player.
The 21-year-old centre-back has joined the east London club from Toulouse for a transfer fee of around €25m as part of Manuel Pellegrini’s effort to improve their defence ahead of the new season.
Considered a big talent in France, the young centre-back had several clubs chasing him, such as Roma and Sevilla, but he decided to move to West Ham and play in the Premier League.
He insisted that he didn’t have any preference when it came to his choice of clubs and believes the move to West Ham is the right one as the club will help him to develop further while playing in a top league such as the Premier League.
Diop also insisted that he is yet to achieve anything in football and indicated that he joined West Ham as part of his plans to move up the ladder in the game.
Asked about the rationale behind his decision to join West Ham, Diop told French sports daily L’Equipe: “I didn’t have a priority.
“The only criteria I had was the club would be counting on me.
“West Ham, the club, will help me to develop and grow. Manuel Pellegrini spoke to me, explained what he expected from me.
“I know I am arriving in a big league, with top players. It’s a challenge I have to cross.”
He added: “And it’s not a culmination [of my career].
“I have not played in the Champions League or the World Cup. In football, I haven’t done anything yet.”
