Arsenal are exploring a summer move for Sporting CP star Ousmane Diomande
According to the Portuguese outlet Record (h/t Sport Witness), Premier League giants Arsenal have made their move to secure the signing of Sporting CP star Ousmane Diomande in the ongoing summer transfer window.
The Gunners are coming off a promising 2022/23 season that saw them finish second in the Premier League and return to UEFA Champions League football. Mikel Arteta and co. are in no mood to rest on their laurels and are planning big this summer.
The Gunners have already secured the signings of Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber. The trio greatly enrich the squad’s quality but Arsenal might not be done just yet. Landing Diomande will give them enough depth in the backline and also future-proof the roster to an extent.
The 19-year-old is an exciting talent who could go a long way in the game in the upcoming decade. A solid tackler who is capable of playing the ball from the back, Diomande has the skills of a modern-day centre-back. Adding him to a roster that already contains William Saliba, Timber, Ben White and Gabriel certainly reeks of strength in depth.
Diomande, is, however, far from ready to become a regular starter. He is rough around the edges and manages to switch off at times, leading to goal-scoring opportunities for the opposition attackers. More so, he is also lacking in terms of aerial prowess and will need to be physically more assertive to compete in the English top flight.
Sporting CP are keen to retain the player this summer but will consider letting him go should Arsenal fork out his €80 million release clause. It will represent a significant investment for a player who is still a few years away from being a first-XI regular.
The Gunners failed to land the Ivory Coast defender in January, and it remains to be seen if they will enjoy better luck this time around. Italian giants Juventus are also in the fray as they look to rebuild after a horrible season. Regardless of what happens, interest in the young centre-back is only bound to increase in the years to come.
