Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing 22-year-old Ivory Coast international Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP this summer.
According to a report by Top Mercato, Chelsea have made an enquiry about signing Ousmane Diomande, who has done quite well for Portuguese club Sporting CP. The Ivorian defender is currently away with his country on World Cup duty, and they are looking to make a move for him.
The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with Leeds United in recent weeks, but the enquiry from Chelsea will now be a major cause for concern for the Whites. Chelsea are a far bigger club with more resources, and Leeds United will certainly be worried about missing out on the defender.
The enquiry from the West London club could force Leeds to accelerate their efforts to sign the player. The Whites need to improve defensively, and the 22-year-old could be an excellent addition. The Ivory Coast international is a young player with a lot of quality, and he could develop into a star with regular football.
Leeds United need to improve at the back
Leeds United are looking to establish themselves as regulars in the Premier League. They need to improve defensively to stay up next season. They finished 14th in the league table last season and conceded 56 goals in 38 Premier League matches. They cannot hope to stay up in the Premier League. If Daniel Farke’s men continue to be poor defensively, they will need to tighten up at the back.
Diomande is a young player with huge potential, and he fits the profile they tend to prefer. They will look to sign him for a reasonable fee and help the young defender develop further, and he could slot in alongside Joe Rodon or Pascal Struijk to help shore up the backline.
On the other hand, Chelsea were quite vulnerable at the back in the recently concluded campaign. They are expected to sell Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile this summer. The Blues conceded 52 goals in 38 Premier League matches last season, finishing tenth in the table. Improving defensively will be a top priority for them. The 22-year-old African defender could help them improve.
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Chelsea are looking to build a team for the future under Xabi Alonso, and investing in the young African talent would be a step in the right direction. Meanwhile, the report from Top Mercato claims that the 22-year-old Ivory Coast international could cost around €40-45 million. He has a contract with Sporting CP until 2030. It is fair to assume that Chelsea have the finances to get the deal done. If they can convince the player to join, the deal will be as good as done.
