NEWCASTLE UNITED are reportedly preparing a swoop for West Ham defender Issa Diop.

The Magpies bolstered their backline today when they completed the signing of England full-back Kieran Trippier for £12million from Atletico Madrid.

That was the first signing of Eddie Howe’s reign as boss under their new Saudi owners – and they are targeting several more men to help their survival bid.

Callum Wilson’s injury has led to the Magpies searching for attacking reinforcements with Arsenal outcast Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang one of those linked.

However, a new centre-back remains high on Howe’s wish list and L’Equipe claim that 24-year-old Diop has emerged as a potential target.

They state that Newcastle have been monitoring the Frenchman closely for a while.

And now they are ready to table an offer between £8.3m and £10m ‘in the coming hours’ to West Ham for him.

Whether or not the Hammers would be prepared to sell remains to be seen.

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David Moyes is currently facing a huge injury crisis at the London Stadium.

And his defence is one of the areas most badly hit, with Diop and Craig Dawson currently his only fit senior centre-backs.

Diop joined the Hammers from Toulouse in 2018 and has made 109 appearances for the club since, scoring eight goals. 

He is under contract in the East End until the summer of 2023.

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