West Bromwich Albion have made their move to sign West Ham winger Grady Diangana in a deal that football.london understands could be worth up to £18million.
The Telegraph first reported claim that former Hammers boss Slaven Bilic is keen to bring the winger back to the Baggies and has offered an initial £12million with add-ons.
Sources have told football.london that offer has been accepted in a move which is set to cause huge uproar among an already disgruntled West Ham fanbase.
The wide man enjoyed a very productive loan spell at The Hawthorns last season but was expected to come back to east London and become a regular fixture for the Hammers this season.
With the Hammers struggling to shift on their higher earning stars such as Manuel Lanzini, Felipe Anderson and Jack Wilshere, they have seemingly changed tack and could allow Diangana to leave just 18 months after signing him up to a six-year contract in east London having broken through from the academy.
Diangana bagged eight goals and six assists in the Championship last season as former Hammes manager Slaven Bilic steered the Baggies to promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.
There were rumours Diangana was unsure if he would receive regular first team football in east London this season despite David Moyes being keen to bring the winger back to the club in January to help out in the relegation fight.
A hamstring injury suffered at the turn of the year meant that didn’t come to fruition and Diangana was allowed to stay in the Midlands to help with the Baggies’ battle for promotion.
At the end of last season Moyes said of Diangana: I'm really pleased for him because the Championship is a really tough league, so I'm pleased he was able to be successful. I'm looking forward to having him back.
“It will give him the confidence of being in a winning side, scoring, and playing well.”
Diangana has featured in two pre-season friendlies so far for West Ham since making his return and he picked up two assists in the opening victory over Ipswich Town, laying on two goals for striker Sebastien Haller.
Speaking after that game, Diangana said: “For me, I’m just taking it day by day and working hard. I just want to be the best I can be every day, and hopefully I can do that and break into the starting XI.”
“I’m happy to be back and I’m really happy to be playing with my teammates again and finding ways that we can play together. It was lovely to represent West Ham again.”
