Just in – Arsenal scout is now in Portugal to schedule meeting with £63m defender, deal set to be completed before letting Rob Holding leave
Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Sporting Lisbon defender Ousmane Diomande this summer.
The Gunners are on the market for a new central defender to replace Rob Holding. They have been linked with a few names over the last few months, and Diomande is the latest to come out of the rumour mill.
Portuguese outlet Record claim this week that Arsenal and Juventus both want Diomande, but there’s some bad news for the interested parties.
Arsenal want to sign Sporting Lisbon defender Ousmane Diomande
Ousmane Diomande has been on Arsenal’s radar for a while.
The Gunners were linked with a move to sign him back in the January transfer window, when he was still in Denmark at FC Midtjylland.
Sporting Lisbon wrapped up a deal for just £6.4 million (Fabrizio Romano) on transfer deadline day in the winter window, but just a few months later now, it looks like Arsenal are keen to sign him again.
The report claims that both Arsenal and Juventus have made polls to find out if Diomande is available for a transfer in this summer window.
Sporting have ruled it out and made it clear that the only way Diomande will leave the club now is if a club triggers his release clause, which is set at an eye-watering £69 million (€80m).
Diomande still has four years left on his contract at Sporting.
Our View:
Diomande is a fantastic talent.
The Ivorian, still just 19 years old, has had a brilliant few months at Sporting. He even played the full 120 minutes against Arsenal at the Emirates and was absolutely incredible.
Branded as a ‘very aggressive’ and ‘fast player’ by his old boss Ricardo Sousa, Diomande has a huge future ahead of him, and it’s only a matter of time before a big club like Arsenal snaps him up.
However, it does seem unlikely this summer.
