Arsenal send scouts to watch Ousmane Diomande

Arsenal have sent scouts to prepare ‘detailed reports’ on Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande during the African Cup of Nations, according to a report from A Bola via SportWitness.

The 20-year-old central defender has attracted the attention of the Premier League club with his performances in the Portuguese league and he has been an important player for his national team as well.

According to reports from A Bola via SportWitness, Arsenal have now sent scouts to watch Diomande in action for Ivory Coast at the AFCON and the Gunners are preparing extensive reports ahead of a potential move.

The defender has a £68m (€80m) release clause in his contract and Sporting CP are unwilling to sanction his departure for less than that figure. Therefore, a January move appears unlikely so Arsenal will have to wait until the summer to formalise their interest.

It’s no secret that Arsenal need more depth in the central defensive unit but the reported asking price could prove to be prohibitive to any potential move. The Gunners already have William Saliba, Jurrien Timber, Jacub Kiwior and Gabriel Magalhaes at their disposal, so thye’ll be reluctant to spend £68m on a player that may struggle to be a regular starter. 

Depth

Saliba and Gabriel are likely to be the first choice pairing for the Gunners when fit, so Diomande would be viewed as a quality back-up option to be used in the cups. 

Diomande is certainly good enough to play for the biggest clubs in the world and he has the potential to develop into a top class player. A move to Arsenal would be an exciting step up in his career and playing in the Premier League could accelerate his development.

Arteta has done well to nurture talented young players at Arsenal and he could help the 20-year-old develop further. It will be interesting to see whether Arsenal decide to follow up on their interest with a concrete proposal to sign the defender in the coming months.