Diouf has attracted the attention of foreign clubs for quite some time. Crystal Palace made an offer for him in the winter, but they could not reach an agreement with Slavia.
And the interest in the young defender did not wane; on the contrary. Premier League clubs became even more focused after Senegal's 3-1 win over England in June, in which Diouf shone.
West Ham eventually succeeded in the battle for the talented player, offering Slavia 22 million euros and another four million in bonuses, according to the infotbal.cz website.
The Prague club also has the option to receive a percentage of any further sales. This is a record transfer from the Czech league. The London club agreed on a long-term contract with the player. The defender will play in the number 12 shirt.
Diouf said: “I’m really happy to be here and to make a progression for my career. I’m looking forward to working hard and joining my new teammates.
"Several clubs were interested, but West Ham was my first choice. I spoke to the coach (Graham Potter), and the plan presented made a lot of sense," he added.
Diouf described moving to the Premier League as the pinnacle of his career: “Everyone wants to come here to play in the Premier League. I think it is a dream for everyone. When they are here, they want to make everything good. I think they also have the personality to play here, and if you are young, you want to continue your progression."
Head coach Graham Potter also did not hide his satisfaction with the new signing: “We are very pleased to welcome El Hadji Malick to West Ham United,” said Potter.
“He is a young player we have been watching for some time, and somebody that we believe can be a really good fit for what we are trying to build at the Club.
“He has shown tremendous strength of character and maturity at such a young age, leaving his home in Senegal to move to Norway at 18, and then moving on to Prague - and his performances have been at a consistently high level for some time now.
"The Premier League will be a challenge for him, but he is ready for it. He is young, hungry and ambitious, and I think he will be a very positive addition to the group.”
Diouf joined Slavia at the start of 2024 from Tromso in Norway and gradually worked his way into one of the key men of their squad. The Ziguinchor native played a total of 50 competitive matches for the Prague club, scoring nine goals and setting up four more for his teammates.