West Ham United will need to act fast if they want to land Mamady Diambou — with Slavia Prague now threatening to hijack the Hammers’ move for the all-action midfielder.

According to Africafoot, the Czech champions have made Diambou a priority target ahead of the January transfer window and are pushing hard to reach a deal with Red Bull Salzburg. Diambou, a Malian international, is under contract until 2028 and reportedly available for a fee of around £4.3m (€5m) — a bargain in today’s market.

The 22-year-old would add much-needed mobility and intensity to a West Ham midfield that’s looked ridiculously slow in recent matches. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has persisted with a pedestrian duo of Andy Irving and Tomas Soucek against Leeds United, but the pairing has failed to convince in back-to-back lethargic performances.

The Hammers were previously linked with Diambou during the summer and are believed to have retained interest. However, the sudden emergence of Slavia Prague — the same club West Ham previously raided for Soucek and Malick Diouf — complicates matters. They know the Austrian market well and could outmanoeuvre the Irons if a deal isn’t struck quickly.

Also interested are RC Lens and Royal...