Chelsea are keen on signing the Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande.
A report from Football Transfers claims that Chelsea will prioritise the signing of the 20-year-old defender at the end of the season.
The Sporting CP defender is now a top target for Chelsea ahead of next season. It is no surprise that they are looking to bring in a quality central defender, especially with the future of Thiago Silva hanging in the balance. The Brazilian is in his twilight years and Chelsea will need to plan for a future without him.
Diomande has shown his quality in the Portuguese league with Sporting CP and he has the ability to succeed in English football as well. The 20-year-old certainly has the physical and technical attributes to do well in the Premier League and a manager like Mauricio Pochettino could be instrumental to his development.
The Argentine manager has done well to nurture young players during his time at Españyol, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur. He will be expected to improve young players at Chelsea as well.
Diomande is unlikely to be a cheap acquisition and it will be interesting to see if Chelsea are prepared to break the bank for him. The 20-year-old Ivory Coast defender has €80 million release close in his contract and Sporting CP are unlikely to sanction his departure for less.
Chelsea have been very active in the transfer market since the change of ownership and they have signed several quality players for millions of pounds. However, their performances on the pitch have been quite mediocre. They are currently 10th in the league table after finishing 12th last season. It will be interesting to see if they can bounce back strongly during the second half of the season and push for Champions League qualification.
It will be difficult for them to attract elite young talent like Diomande without Champions League football. The 20-year-old will want to compete at the highest level and win major trophies with Chelsea. He will certainly hope that the Blues can secure a top-four finish.
