Chelsea are reportedly keen on signing the Sporting CP duo of Viktor Gyokeres and Ousmane Diomande, with a scouting mission lined up.
A report by O Jogo via Sport Witness has claimed that Chelsea will run the rule over Viktor Gyokeres and Ousmane Diomande on Monday night when Sporting CP take on FC Porto. The two players could cost a combined total of €180 million because of the release clauses in their contracts.
Ousmane Diomande: A Rising Star For Sporting CP
Meanwhile, Arsenal have been linked with a move for Diomande as well, and it will be interesting to see where the talented young defender ends up. Chelsea need to bring in a quality defender, and the Sporting CP prospect could prove to be a solid long-term acquisition for them. He could be the ideal long-term replacement for Thiago Silva, who is in the twilight stages of his career.
Meanwhile, Gyokeres has been a prolific goalscorer for the Portuguese club since joining them this past summer, and he could prove to be a quality addition to the Chelsea attack. The Swedish striker could be an upgrade on Nicolas Jackson, who has been inconsistent since his move to Chelsea.
Viktor Gyokeres: Rising in Stature
The Blues will have to improve their squad during the January transfer window if they want to push for Champions League qualification. Gyokeres and Diomande have thus emerged as viable targets. Interestingly, reports have also linked Arsenal with Gyokeres.
Signing the two players from Sporting CP will certainly help them improve. But the €180 million combined valuation could be a bit of a problem despite Chelsea’s financial muscle. While both players are impressive talents, they have done nothing to justify the reported prices.
Sporting CP will have to be more reasonable with their demands for the moves to go through. The Portuguese club might not want to sell their prized prospects midway through the season, especially for a knockdown price. It is fair to assume that any move would have to wait until the summer transfer window.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are looking at defensive reinforcements, and Diomande would be a quality investment for them as well. The opportunity to play for clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal can be hard to turn down for the young defender, and it remains to be seen whether the two London clubs decide to come forward with a proposal to sign him.
