Journalist Paul Brown has claimed Issa Diop 'needed a wake-up call' at West Ham.
What's the latest news involving Issa Diop?
West Ham brought Diop to east London from Toulouse back in summer 2018 for a then club-record fee of £22m and he was something of an instant hit for the Irons.
A few months on from his arrival, Jose Mourinho congratulated West Ham scouts for snapping up the towering centre-back, dubbing him a "monster" after the Hammers recorded a shock 3-1 win over Manchester United.
However, over the last two seasons Diop's game-time has rapidly diminished. He made only 15 Premier League starts last term and is still awaiting his first top flight outing of the new campaign.
West Ham struck a deal for Chelsea centre-half Kurt Zouma during the summer and that appears to have only pushed Diop further down the pecking order under David Moyes, with the Frenchman already making Premier League and Europa League debuts for the Irons.
What has Paul Brown said about Diop?
When asked whether Zouma's arrival at the London Stadium was a wake-up call for Diop, journalist Brown argued that the 24-year-old has been in need of one for some time.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Brown said: "I think Diop needed a wake-up call anyway really. It's a long time since Jose Mourinho called him a 'monster' and praised him to the skies when Manchester United played against them.
"He looked such a great prospect. He's someone who played with Kylian Mbappe at youth level in France, he's been around. He's a big unit - strong, quick, physical - and it's just really gone off the boil for him."
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Is Diop's West Ham career over?
Never say never, but it does look a long way back for Diop right now.
In addition to the recent arrival of Zouma, West Ham signed Craig Dawson permanently in the summer after he overtook Diop in the pecking order while on loan last season.
Also including Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell when West Ham utilise a back three, Moyes certainly isn't short of options in the heart of defence. Declan Rice could theoretically play there as well if needed.
That being said, West Ham are still in the Carabao Cup and the Europa League, while the FA Cup will come around in the second half of the season.
Strong performances in these competitions could give Diop a way back in. But at the same time, it wouldn't be all that surprising to see West Ham sell in January if a club make a decent offer for the Frenchman.