Arsenal are expected to submit a fresh offer for Sporting CP star Ousmane Diomande after seeing a bid knocked back in the summer, according to reports.
As per Record via the Daily Mail, Arsenal had an initial £30m offer rejected by Sporting last month as Mikel Arteta tried to strengthen his defence during the closing stages of the window following Jurrien Timbers injury.
The bid was immediately rejected but the report says Arsenal are expected to return with an improved offer for the 19-year-old ahead of the January window. However, a deal won’t be easy as Diomande has a release clause worth £69m and Sporting are reluctant to sell.
Speaking to Caught Offside (h/t football.london), Fabrizio Romano revealed that Arsenal have long been keeping tabs on Diomande. However, the Gunners will face competition for his signature.
“Arsenal, meanwhile, have been linked strongly with Sporting Lisbon defender Ousmane Diomande by the Portuguese press.
“I’m told he’s a player they’ve been tracking for a long time, but it’s not only Arsenal. There are three or four clubs monitoring Diomande for the future, but it was never a negotiation this summer as he wasn’t for sale.”
Diomande joined Sporting CP from Midtylland in January 2023. The defender immediately established himself in Sporting’s backline last season. He made 17 appearances in all competitions and has played every minute for Ruben Amorim’s team in the current campaign.
The revolution at Arsenal
Arsenal have seen the age of their squad go down drastically since the appointment of Mikel Arteta. The Spanish manager has gotten rid of experienced heads like Mesut Ozil, Alexander Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Now, the Gunners are led by Martin Odegaard. Arteta also has talented young players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli at his disposal.
The North London side’s backline also boasts a lot of youth. William Saliba, Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes are still in their mid-20s. Therefore, signing Diomande would fit in with the current culture at the Emirates Stadium.
But at Arsenal, the young centre-back would arguably have to bide his time for minutes. They have built a strong team under Arteta. They challenged Manchester City for the Premier League title last season and are also in the conversation in the current campaign.
Therefore, at the moment, it feels right for Diomande to continue his development at Sporting CP. In the coming future, maybe the centre-back will be ready to take the next step in his career.
