Issa Diop

Squad depth

Fulham · 29 yrsTransferred to Ipswich

45.5

Profile

Full nameIssa Laye Lucas Jean Diop

PositionCentre-back

NationalityFrance

Age29

Date of birth9 Jan 1997

BirthplaceToulouse

Height194 cm

Shirt number#31

ClubFulham

More about I. Diop →

Centre-back

Season stats

Full career & schedule →

Appearances

Goals

Assists

827

Minutes

Domestic-league season · Fulham.

Performance data · by competition

Competition	Apps	G	Min	Match
Premier League	13	1	827	6.64
League Cup	3	0	270	7.47
FA Cup	2	0	180	6.6

Career

Full career & schedule →

UEFA U19 Championship×2

Diop's current-season form is down 27% on last season (Season 11→8), while his Rating eased 61→46. His peak season for form remains 2022/23 (Season 51).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Fulham · 11th	13	1	0	6.64	46	8
2024/25	Fulham · 11th	30	0	0	6.71	61	11
2023/24	Fulham · 13th	21	0	0	6.88	67	23
2022/23	Fulham · 10th	25	1	0	6.81	78	51
2021/22	West Ham · 7th	13	0	1	6.67	74	10

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 6 earlier seasons and 3 youth-team spells in the full career.

France · international

Side	Apps	G
France U21	4	0
France U20	3	0
France U19	11	3
France U17	3	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCentral defender

I. Diop is a 29-year-old central defender at Fulham, rated 45.5 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 315th of 380 on scout potential in the Premier League. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (24.2% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.18 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Diop.

Judged on this season alone, Diop graded 8 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 71st of 73 of the 73 centre-backs in the Premier League, on 2 clean sheets and 2.177 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 11 → 8). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2022/23.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 46, 60th of 73 of the 73 centre-backs in the Premier League. At 29 Diop is in his prime years, and a market index of 30 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2022/23 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2022/23Trending downBreakout: 2022/23

Current potential60th of 73 centre-backs · Premier League · 13 apps Current season71st of 73 centre-backs · Premier League · 13 apps71st-best centre-back in the Premier League315th in the Premier League · potential60th-highest potential centre-back in the Premier League

45.5

Ratingi

60th of 73 centre-backs

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

24.2%

Minutes

limited game time

2.18

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Fulham finished 11th of 20 · a mid-table side

2.18

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.18 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 2 clean sheets across 13 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Pedigree. Performing in a top-tier setting (team strength 94.7/100).

Watch points

Game time. Only 24.2% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 45.5, Diop carries the 60th-highest potential of the centre-backs in the Premier League of 73 — though on just 13 appearances this season, so the standing rests on a small sample. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.18 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.1× now → 0.8× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %24.2%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.109

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900.109

Defensive actions / 902.177

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Shot conversion %100

Shot accuracy %50

Pass accuracy %87

Dribble success %100

Cards / 900.218

Foul involvement / 901.306

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~55), then tapers with age. At 29, Diop sits on 30, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Diop's projected Rating — 45.5 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Premier League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Shots on target1

Shots2

Passing

Assists0

Passes494

Pass accuracy87%

Possession

Successful dribbles1

Dribble success100%

Duels won26

Duels won %55.3%

Fouls won3

Defending

Tackles7

Interceptions6

Blocks7

Fouls committed9

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

€42.8M total transfer fees · 3 moves

Ipswich2026/27 – now

Fulham2022/23 – 2026/27€ 17.8M

West Ham2018/19 – 2022/23€ 25M

Toulouseuntil 2018/19

About I. Diop

Issa Laye Lucas Jean Diop is a 29-year-old centre-back who plays for Fulham, born on January 9, 1997 in Toulouse, standing 194 cm tall. He is from France. Fulham currently sit 11th of 20 in the Premier League.

This season

In the current season, I. Diop has made 13 appearances with 1 goal and 0 assists across 827 minutes, averaging a 6.73 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 2 yellow cards. His season has spanned the Premier League, the League Cup and the FA Cup.

When I. Diop plays, Fulham's record this season is 9W-3D-6L — and his match ratings average 6.91 at home against 6.55 on the road.

Recent matches

May 24, 2026: 2-0 win at home vs Newcastle (86 minutes, 1 goal, 7.5 rating)
May 17, 2026: 1-1 draw away at Wolves (90 minutes, 6.7 rating)
May 9, 2026: 0-1 loss at home vs Bournemouth (45 minutes, 6.5 rating)
March 4, 2026: 0-1 loss at home vs West Ham (90 minutes, 7 rating)
March 1, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Tottenham (90 minutes, 6.9 rating)
February 15, 2026: 2-1 win away at Stoke City (90 minutes, 6.5 rating)
January 17, 2026: 0-1 loss away at Leeds (8 minutes, 6.3 rating)
January 10, 2026: 3-1 win at home vs Middlesbrough (90 minutes, 6.7 rating)
January 7, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Chelsea (90 minutes, 6.9 rating)
January 4, 2026: 2-2 draw at home vs Liverpool (90 minutes, 6.3 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates I. Diop at 45.5 with a Season form score of 8, ranking 315th of 380 centre-backs in the Premier League. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the UEFA U19 Championship. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 12 recorded seasons, I. Diop has totalled 280 club appearances with 14 goals and 4 assists for 5 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2017/18, with 34 appearances for Toulouse.

I. Diop's career has also included time at Ipswich, West Ham and Toulouse.

On the international stage, I. Diop has represented France U21, France U20, France U19, France U17 — 21 caps and 3 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Fulham finished 11th of 20 · a mid-table side

Strengths

Watch points