In the closing days of the summer transfer window, West Ham United has submitted a season-long loan proposal to AS Roma for Anass Salah-Eddine, seeking to address a left-back vacancy left by El Hadji Malick Diouf‘s roughly €40m move to Brentford. The offer, first reported by The Athletic and other outlets, covers the 2026-27 campaign, with Roma retaining the player’s registration throughout. Talks remain at an early stage, and no agreement has been confirmed by either club.
The move comes at a difficult moment for West Ham, who were recently relegated to the Championship. That drop has sharpened the urgency to fix defensive weaknesses that surfaced in the opening rounds of the new season. Diouf’s departure left a clear gap at left-back, and the technical staff have identified the position as a priority before the deadline closes. West Ham are also pursuing a second defensive loan, for Nottingham Forest’s Morato, underlining how central defensive reinforcement has become to the club’s late-window strategy.
Salah-Eddine, a 24-year-old Moroccan international born in Amsterdam, joined Roma for around €8m on a contract running to 2028. He spent last season on loan at PSV Eindhoven, where he made about 23 appearances across the Eredivisie and Champions League. That spell offered him regular football and continued European experience, but it has not translated into a guaranteed role back in Rome. Beyond his club exploits, Salah-Eddine has become an increasingly important figure for the Atlas Lions, Morocco’s national team, adding international pedigree to his profile. Fellow international defender Mohamed Chibi has similarly established himself as part of Morocco’s defensive setup, reflecting the depth of talent competing for places within the national side.
Italian and Dutch reports describe him as being on the fringes of Roma’s plans, a status that has opened the door to loan discussions with several clubs, including Torino, PSV and Real Betis.
Roma’s willingness to entertain a loan reflects both squad depth at left-back and a desire to keep the player’s value active through regular playing time elsewhere. His contract running to 2028 gives Roma leverage in any negotiation, whether for a loan fee, potential future transfer, or performance-related conditions. Market valuations place Salah-Eddine’s worth close to €9.2m, having peaked near €10.2m in mid-2026.
For West Ham, securing his signature would offer an experienced, left-footed option with recent top-flight and continental experience, exactly the profile needed to steady a defence still adjusting to Championship football.
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