Dieng eyes Athletic extension

HOPE . . . Dieng.

IN-FORM midfield anchor Timothee Dieng fancies staying on with Athletic for next season.

The 23-year-old from Grenoble has played a strong role in three successive clean sheets for Athletic, moving up from centre-back to operate as a screen in front of the back four. And as a player who has flourished under the management of John Sheridan, he hopes that the option the club have to keep him on for a third campaign is taken up.

“My contract finishes in June but the club has an option on next year and I would be happy to stay,” Dieng said. “I like being here and I’m enjoying myself a lot, so we’ll see what happens.”