Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande has been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent months.
Newcastle United and Arsenal are keeping tabs on Ousmane Diomande, and the Magpies recently sent officials to watch the talented young defender in action during the Lisbon Derby on Sunday. As per a report by Record via Sport Witness, Arsenal and Chelsea have been keeping tabs on the player on a weekly basis as well.
Meanwhile, Diomande has been linked with Manchester United as well. Clubs in Italy and Germany are also monitoring his situation, and it remains to be seen where he ends up. Apparently, the defender has an €80 million release clause in his deal, and he has a contract with Sporting CP until the summer of 2027.
The Portuguese club are under no pressure to sell him for a knockdown price, and any club hoping to sign him will have to trigger his release clause. Newcastle United could certainly use more depth in central defence, and Diomande would be a solid long-term acquisition.
He could be the ideal partner for Sven Botman at the heart of the Newcastle defence for the years to come. Meanwhile, Arsenal need to add more depth to their squad as well. They will want to do well in the Premier League as well as the UEFA Champions League.
They need a deeper squad to match up to Manchester City, and pursuing a talented young defender like Diomande could prove to be a wise decision. However, the £80 million asking price seems quite steep, and Sporting CP might have to lower their demands in order for the transfer to go through.
The 19-year-old is a prodigious talent who could develop into a top-class defender and justify the investment in the long run. However, Newcastle United and Arsenal will still want to sign him for a more reasonable price now. The Magpies seem particularly keen and want to steal a march on Arsenal.
It will be interesting to see where he ends up eventually. A move to Newcastle or Arsenal would be an exciting next step in his career and the defender is likely to be excited about the idea of playing in the Premier League.
