Arsenal failed with a £30 million bid for Sporting Lisbon defender Ousmane Diomande and the Premier League challengers may be forced to stump up closer to £70 million next year.
He may be only 19 years of age, but Ousmane Diomande has already proven in front of the keen eye of Mikel Arteta that he has what it takes to make the step up against elite opposition on the biggest stage.
The teenage centre-back was a picture of maturity and self-confidence as Sporting Lisbon knocked Arsenal out of the Europa League at the last-16 stage in the spring. That was one of a number of eye-catching displays during an outstanding debut season in the Portuguese capital; Diomande proving himself to be one of the best bargain buys anywhere on the continent at a cool £7 million.
Ousmane Diomande remains out of reach for Arsenal.
Nowadays, it would take a price that was roughly ten times that amount to get Sporting to budge.
Record claims that a few months after their March penalty shootout loss against Ruben Amorim’s team, which is best remembered for Pedro Goncalves’ outstanding Nayim tribute, Arsenal had a £30 million deal rejected.
Record continues, “Arsenal have ‘promised’ to call for Diomande again next summer.” However, if Sporting holds fast on the value of their greatest asset, the Gunners may be wasting their time unless they are willing to trigger the £70 million release clause in the young player’s contract.
He is really technical.
Diomande began his career at this club back home in the Ivory Coast when he was ten years old, according to OS Bobo head Amza Gamal, the club’s president.
He plays both short and long passes with great precision and intelligence. He has an excellent sense of expectation. Along with these traits, he is quick and effective in battle.
“Sporting is a fantastic football team from Europe. I have no doubt that Diomande will develop further. He will likely rank among the finest center defenders in the world, in my opinion.
It’s interesting to note that Arsenal was well aware of Diomande while he was building a name for Midtjylland in Denmark. However, they decided against moving forward with the transfer because they had to give priority to signing Jorginho from Chelsea.
