Arsenal is reportedly in competition with Bayern Munich and Newcastle for Sporting Lisbon center-back Ousmane Diomande, who is considered to be the next Virgil van Dijk. However, Arsenal has reportedly matched Chelsea’s offer for Diomande.
After moving from FC Midtjylland for £6.5 million in January 2023, Diomande’s performances have drawn the attention of major European teams.
Portuguese publication Document assertion As they get ready to lose veteran Thiago Silva, Chelsea has offered the 20-year-old £51 million plus bonuses. Arsenal has now matched that offer after being suitably impressed by teammate Viktor Gyokeres to open the chequebook.
Diomande is rumoured to have a £69 million release clause, and Bayern and Newcastle are reportedly interested in him as well.
Sporting may decide to hold out given the widespread interest of some of Europe’s elite, but reports suggest they would accept an offer below that amount.
Long Time Admiration
Even though Diomande didn’t play senior football for Midtjylland, it’s understood that Mikel Arteta and his staff were aware of him since his time there. However, if Diomande were to join the Gunners, he would probably fall behind Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, who have established a strong defensive tandem.
Moving to Chelsea would mean giving up Champions League football and possibly all European football of any kind, but it would also improve one’s chances of starting, as Mauricio Pochettino would be less likely to start Axel Disasi, Levi Colwill, or Benoit Badiashile because of their inconsistent play.
Losing Diomande, Gyokeres—whose 36 goals in 38 games have attracted the attention of Arsenal and other teams—and their manager Ruben Amorim, who is being considered by Liverpool, Bayern, and Barcelona, is a possibility for Sporting.
Glen Johnson has cautioned Liverpool about the appointment of Amorim because of his inexperience in the Premier League.
“Yeah, you would be a little cautious because the Premier League and the Primeira Liga are very different,” Johnson responded.
The easy part is putting together a team and getting the players to play, but he would need to get used to the Premier League’s demands and movement.
“Managers and players from different leagues should exercise caution when signing contracts.”
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Leave a Reply