Chelsea reportedly leads the competition over London rivals Arsenal in the pursuit to acquire Sporting Lisbon’s defender, Ousmane Diomande. The 20-year-old has swiftly garnered attention as one of Europe’s most coveted central defenders since his arrival at Sporting in January of the previous year.
Diomande has amassed a total of 44 appearances for Sporting’s first team across various tournaments, notably contributing with 24 starts in both the Primeira Liga and Europa League this ongoing season.
Having impressed with his performances at Sporting and on international duty with Ivory Coast, Diomande has attracted interest from several top European clubs. He earned his inaugural senior cap for Ivory Coast in September of the preceding year, subsequently making four further appearances, including two during the nation’s victorious Africa Cup of Nations campaign last month.
Allegedly, clubs such as Chelsea and Arsenal dispatched scouts to meticulously evaluate Diomande’s displays at the AFCON tournament in anticipation of a potential transfer during the upcoming summer window.
According to Portuguese news outlet Record, Chelsea has exhibited a keen interest in Diomande and has surged ahead of Arsenal, as well as other potential contenders like Newcastle United and Juventus, in the pursuit of securing his services. The report indicates that Chelsea has initiated contact with the defender’s representatives in an endeavor to gain an advantage over competitors before the transfer window commences.
While Diomande remains under contract with Sporting until the summer of 2027, previous reports suggest the existence of a release clause amounting to €80m (£69m). Nonetheless, Chelsea purportedly intends to offer an upfront payment of approximately €60m (£51m), supplemented by an additional €20m (£17m) in add-ons.
Chelsea’s interest in Diomande arises amidst uncertainties surrounding the long-term tenure of Thiago Silva, whose contract is set to expire at the conclusion of the ongoing season. However, the extent of Chelsea’s summer transfer activity may hinge on their financial circumstances, with the club disclosing losses exceeding £211.5m over the past two seasons.
Under the constraints imposed by the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, Mauricio Pochettino’s side may face the necessity of offloading several first-team players during the forthcoming summer transfer window. Names such as Conor Gallagher, Marc Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, and Armando Broja – the latter currently on loan at Fulham – have all been linked with permanent departures from Stamford Bridge.