Real Madrid will likely invest in a young centre-back next year, with 19-year-old Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande emerging as a target.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Ousmane Diomande is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The Merengues are scouring the market for a young centre-back heading into the 2024 summer transfer window. And the 19-year-old Sporting CP prodigy is one of the candidates on their radar.
Ousmane Diomande spent most of his formative years in his homeland before joining Midtjylland in 2020. The Ivory Coast international gradually rose in stature at the Danish club before breaking into the first-team squad. That is when high-profile clubs started noticing him, with Sporting CP prising him away from Midtjylland.
The 19-year-old was solid in the second half of the 2022/23 season but has taken his performance to the next level this term. Diomande has turned out nine times thus far in the new campaign, chipping in with two goals and one assist. Meanwhile, the youngster’s progress has not gone unnoticed, with Real Madrid joining the race to sign him.
Reports in the last few weeks have linked the teenage prodigy with Premier League heavyweights. Arsenal and Manchester City, in particular, are keen on securing Diomande’s services. But Real Madrid’s entry into the picture should change the equation considerably.
The Merengues are in a spot of bother over their centre-back personnel, with Antonio Rudiger the only fit option right now. Even when every central defender is available, the need to bolster the unit is palpable. That is because David Alaba, Rudiger, and Nacho are on the wrong side of 30.
So, it behoves Real Madrid to invest in a centre-back, with Giorgio Scalvini, Leny Yoro, and Malick Thiaw also emerging as targets. But Diomande is also a viable target, considering the Ivorian defender is only 19 years old and projecting a world-class potential.
Meanwhile, the Spanish giants are also considering integrating Rafa Marin, on loan at Alaves, into the first-team squad. So, Real Madrid will have several options to bolster the central defensive unit. And it will be interesting to see if Ousmane Diomande arrives at the Santiago Bernabeu next year.
