El Hadji Malick Diouf Joins Slavia
"We are pleased to have successfully brought in another quality player from the Norwegian league. El Hadji Diouf made significant progress during his year with Tromsö. I believe he can be a great asset to Slavia and contribute to further exciting performance growth. I would also like to thank the club, the player, and the agent for their fair dealings," says Slavia´s Sporting Director, Jiří Bílek.
"I am thrilled to be here. I am happy to join such a great team as Slavia . I know that my compatriot, Abdallah Sima, played here. I spoke with him, and he has only the best memories of playing for Slavia. I am looking forward to playing here," expresses the new red and white defender eagerly.
Diouf becomes the fifth addition to Slavia from the Norwegian Eliteserien in the past year, joining Igoh Ogbu (Lilleström), Christos Zafeiris (Haugesund), Sheriff Sinyan (Molde), and Conrad Wallem (Odds BK).
Standing at 183 centimeters, the left-footed full-back, who primarily operates as a left-wing back, had a successful autumn in Tromsö. In fifteen matches, he scored three times, provided one assist, and consistently delivered standout performances as a regular starter. He played a crucial role in helping his club secure the third position in the league table. The Norwegian league operates on a spring-fall system, and Tromsö boasted the best defense in the competition, conceding 33 goals in 30 matches, earning them a spot in the Conference League qualification.
Diouf is known for his left foot, excellent heading ability, dynamic runs, and a strong physical presence. In terms of playing style, he is reminiscent of David Jurásek, who moved to Benfica Lisbon in the summer.
Born in December, the nineteen-year-old defender is a product of the Senegalese academy of Mawade Wade. Despite sharing a last name with the legendary Senegalese representative El Hadjim Diouf, who also played for Liverpool, Bolton, and Blackburn, there is no known familial connection.
Diouf joined Tromsö in February 2023, making his debut for the first team on March 12 in the Norwegian Cup eighth-finals against Start.
