Chelsea are poised to make a £40m bid for West Ham United centre-back Issa Diop, as reported by The Express.

It is suggested that the Frenchman is Frank Lampard's main defensive target, as he looks to strengthen his squad after Chelsea's ban was lifted.

David Moyes is said to be reluctant to let the 23-year-old leave so soon into his second tenure at London Stadium.

With that in mind, FFC writers have given their verdict on whether or not West Ham should cash in on the defender.

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Lewis Blain

"West Ham selling Issa Diop would be Moyes' first mistake since being appointed for a second time. The temptation of £40m may be all too much to handle, but they should show their mettle and think of the future. The French centre-back is only 23 years old and can be forgiven for a rough patch in English football having only joined in the summer of 2018.

"Angelo Ogbonna isn't getting any younger and it's clear they can no longer rely on the services of the injury-prone Reid. Diop was called a 'monster' by Jose Mourinho last season and it's this sort of praise that has seen him linked to many a club since. The Hammers need to think of their future, and selling the young colossus would be a stupid decision."

Matt Dawson

"This would be a masterstroke from Gold & Sullivan. If West Ham can ship on a player who hasn't achieved much game time recently for £40m, it would be nothing short of outstanding transfer business. Call yourself a West Ham expert? How much did each of these January signings cost? "Issa Diop was pivotal last term, making 2.1 tackles per game and also producing 1.9 interceptions each outing. However, both of those figures have dropped off considerably this season as the Frenchman has struggled. "Since November, Diop has played just 92 minutes in the league, failing to appear in five matches. If that is indicative of a £40m player then West Ham must do everything they can to ship him on. "With Angelo Ogbonna and Fabian Balbuena in their ranks against Bournemouth in the 4-0 win, they looked a team with greater solidity. The duo made a combined five tackles, via WhoScored. On that evidence, they don't need Diop and should cash in."

Billy Meyers

"Moyes would be mad to let Diop leave. Admittedly, the former Toulouse man hasn’t had the best of times recently as he endures a spell out of the starting XI. Although there was a reason why Manchester United tried to sign him back in the summer and also a reason why Jose Mourinho spoke so highly of him, after the Hammers beat the Red Devils in the 2018/19 campaign. "Diop is arguably one of Moyes’ best long-term assets as things stand at the age of just 23, and it would be a case of severe short-termism to let the Frenchman leave London Stadium - he must be kept at all costs."

Danny Lewis

"It will likely be tempting for Moyes to take the £40m as he looks to put his own imprint on his new squad, but West Ham should be looking to keep the Frenchman. "Admittedly, it was against Gillingham, but Diop looked solid in a back-three, indicating that the former Toulouse man offers Moyes tactical flexibility, allowing the Scotsman to switch between a back four and three. "Outside of that, Moyes is new to the job, having only managed two West Ham games in his second spell to date, meaning he may not have discovered his best lineup - it would be foolish to dismiss someone who could be such a large asset after a short period of time. "One more point to consider is that many West Ham fans were already frustrated to see Moyes come in, if he was to sell one of their more valuable players to another club from London, it wouldn't exactly help portray ambition to them." Meanwhile, West Ham have reignited their interest in a summer target who could help fill priority position.