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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly keen on hijacking Manchester United's attempts to sign West Ham defender Issa Diop whenever the Premier League transfer window opens.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we have no idea when that would be but as it stands, it is 11 weeks from now that teams will be able to start dealing in the transfer market once again.

The Premier League has been put on suspension for the next three weeks, which is also takes in an international break, meaning West Ham won't be back in action until April 5 and their home game against Chelsea if the country gets to grips with coronavirus.

However, UEFA's meeting on Tuesday and the Premier League's on Thursday will decide what the process going forward is for football, with potential for the EURO's this summer being postponed to allow the league campaigns to finish, shortening pre-season and then 2020/21 seasons getting underway.

But that hasn't stopped talk of potential transfers however and Diop's name has risen up once again having heavily been linked with a move to Manchester United last summer.

(Image: IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images)

Our colleagues at Mirror Football claim that Gunners boss Arteta is keen to partner Diop with another French defender, William Saliba, at centre back at the Emirates next season.

Saliba signed for Arsenal in last summer but has been loaned back to St Etienne for the remainder of the season.

Diop, signed from Toulouse for £22m under Manuel Pellegrini, enjoyed a superb first season in England but his second has been a bit more hit and miss. He has improved since David Moyes replaced the Chilean this term and has formed a decent enough partnership with Angelo Ogbonna at centre half.

Moyes has been asked about Diop's future before, Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan certainly doesn't want to sell, nor does Moyes.

He said back in January: "If you ask me, he still has development to do as a young centre half, he has a long way to go. But I am looking forward to working with him over the next couple of years."

Diop still has three years to run on his current contract which he penned in the summer of 2018 when he joined for what was then a club-record fee from Toulouse.