Manchester United have expressed an interest in signing 19-year-old Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande next summer, but they face fierce competition from Real Madrid.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Manchester United and Real Madrid could battle it out to acquire the services of Sporting CP’s promising 19-year-old defender, Ousmane Diomande, with both clubs showing interest in signing the young talent.
Sporting beat a host of clubs, including Manchester City and Arsenal, in the race to sign Diomande from Danish side FC Midtjylland in January. They paid €7.5 million for the Ivorian centre-back, who is already being linked with an exit for ten times that price.
After signing a four-year contract in Lisbon, Diomande instantly slotted into their defence and featured regularly in Ruben Amorim’s back four, making 17 appearances in the second half of the season for the Lions.
He did not look out of place despite the step up in quality, continuing to impress with his ability on the ball as well as his speed and physical ability, prompting Arsenal to reportedly make a bid of €35 million for him this past summer.
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That offer was swiftly rejected by Ruben Amorim’s side, who are unwilling to sell him for less than his €80 million release clause and are planning an improved deal for the 19-year-old to fend off imminent outside interest.
He has started this season as the first name on the team sheet for Sporting, playing every minute of the new season. Despite never featuring for his country at the youth level, he made his debut for the Ivory Coast senior team in September 2023 and is a player on a number of clubs’ radars.
Arsenal, for one, will look to return with a bid for him in the summer of 2024. Manchester United and Real Madrid have now entered the heated transfer race to make it even more intriguing.
The Red Devils have made their worst-ever start to a Premier League season, with just nine points from their first seven games. And, to be fair, nobody saw it coming after such a promising first season under Erik ten Hag.
Central to United’s problems has been a lack of defensive solidity, partly down to an unprecedented injury crisis in the centre-back department.
Given that both Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have struggled to stay fit for a stretch of games and Harry Maguire has fallen out of favour under Ten Hag, they could certainly benefit from long-term defensive reinforcement.
At 19 years old, Diomande already has a good physical presence to engage in duels while also specialising in playing out of the back and under pressure, qualities that make him a strong fit for the style of play Ten Hag is trying to set up at Old Trafford.
As for Real Madrid, they surprised many with their reluctance to strengthen their defence last summer and have so far been left to rue their decision as key defender Eder Militao suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opening game of the season.
Furthermore, David Alaba’s ongoing fitness issues have left Carlo Ancelotti with only two first-team central defensive options, Antonio Rudiger and Nacho Fernandez.
As Real Madrid continues to strengthen their team with Europe’s finest talents across the board, Diomande fits the bill perfectly, with the 19-year-old surely set for a big career at the highest level.
