Diangana is returning to familiar surroundings having spent last season on loan at West Brom. He registered eight goals and seven assists in 30 games as the Baggies returned to the Premier League.
His departure from the London Stadium has not gone down well with his former West Ham team-mates, with captain Mark Noble tweeting: “As captain of this football club I’m gutted, angry and sad that Grady has left, great kid with a great future!!!!!”
Declan Rice then retweeted Noble’s comments before deleting it shortly afterwards. However, it is still listed under Rice’s ‘liked’ tweets, while Noble’s stance was also supported by former West Ham midfielder Trevor Sinclair.
Diangana said West Ham, the club he has been with since age 10, “will always have a special place in my heart” in a farewell Instagram post.
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Midfielder Jack Wilshere responded in the comments of the post, saying: “Go and do your thing in a club that respects you. Big player with a big future.”
Speaking to West Brom’s website, Diangana admitted his sadness at leaving his boyhood club but says he is excited to return to Slaven Bilic’s side.
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Mark Noble did not hold back with his opinion on Diangana’s exit, saying he was ‘angry’ at the sale of the young winger
“West Ham was all I had known before last season and I’m sure people will understand that I felt some sadness at leaving,” he said.
“But coming here having had that season we have just experienced, there were no nerves about leaving at all. Knowing the manager and the players and the feelings I have got for the club just made me excited.
“Last season was really my first out of U23s football and was the most football I had ever played in a single season. I didn’t know what it really meant to win games and especially as we were challenging for promotion from the start. Now I do.
“It taught me that it is not OK to survive. We need to go out to try to win every game and that is how we will approach every match.”
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Diangana made 21 appearances after coming through the West Ham academy
After confirming the departure of Diangana – who made 21 appearances after coming through their academy – a West Ham statement read: “The decision to sell Grady has been made reluctantly but ultimately in the best interests of the club and with the aim to strengthen the squad in different areas at this time.
“The money received for Grady will be reinvested entirely in the team, in line with the manager’s targets. We believe that this will give us the best possible chance of ensuring we have a balanced squad to compete in the Premier League and are capable of reaching our objectives and ambitions this season.
“Everyone at West Ham United would like to thank Grady for his service and commitment to the club, and wish him all the very best in his future career.”
West Ham are already plotting to spend the money they have received from West Brom on Burnley defender James Tarkowski, for whom they have subm
itted a bid of more than £20m.
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