Brentford are closing in on a deal to sign El Hadji Malick Diouf from West Ham, with a verbal agreement now in place worth up to £40 million including add-ons.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Brentford have shaken hands with West Ham on the fee, with an initial up-front payment of £35 million agreed and the remainder tied to add-ons.

Paperwork is still to be finalised, but the framework of the deal is done.

Diouf is reportedly keen on an immediate return to the Premier League , and the move represents a significant step up in profile for Brentford, who have quietly built one of the Premier League’s most efficient recruitment models under Keith Andrews.

For West Ham, the sale continues a busy summer of departures as they rebuild following relegation to the Championship.

The transfer represents a substantial profit for the Hammers, who signed Diouf from Slavia Prague for around £19 million last summer

Meaning the club stands to roughly double their investment in just over a year.