West Ham's Issa Diop confirms international future is with France

West Ham defender Issa Diop has reiterated that he wants to play senior international football with France and not Senegal or Morocco.

Diop was born in France to a Moroccan mother and Senegalese father and has played for France at youth level.

The 21-year-old scored France's final goal as they beat Italy 4-0 to win the 2016 European Under-19 Championship.

"I have always said that I will only play for France and no one else," Diop told ladepeche.fr.

"Whether I am selected or even if I am never selected with the A's, I will not play for another team.

"I was born in France. It's in France that I have everything. So I do not see why I would play for another nation."

He began his senior career at Toulouse making his Ligue 1 debut for them in November 2015.

In October 2017 he was appointed club captain leading the side to the quarter-finals of the French Cup.

Diop became West Ham's club record signing when the English Premier League side paid £22m for him.

He drew praise from manager Jose Mourinho when West Ham beat Manchester United 3-1 last month.

"When a coach like Jose Mourinho says that you are 'a monster', do you imagine that it should make you happy?" he said

"Frankly yes it's nice but hey, it's not my coach so no more, I keep my head on my shoulders and I stay myself."

Diop's grandfather, Labysse, became the first Senegalese to play in Ligue 1 when he signed for Bordeaux in the 1970's.