So Arsenal could now be set to win the race for someone who West Ham United have been tracking for the past year.
The upcoming summer transfer window is obviously a vitally important one for both West Ham and Arsenal.
Julen Lopetegui and Mikel Arteta are both keen to strengthen their central defensive ranks at the London Stadium and the Emirates respectively.
Lopetegui has around £90 million to spend this summer, excluding player sales, and he’ll be looking to spend a large chunk of that on bolstering his defence.
Ousmane Diomande of Sporting Lisbon is undoubtedly one of the very best young centre-backs in world football.
It’s no surprise that he’s attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
The Hammers are one club who’ve shown interest in signing him before, but he could well be Arsenal bound now unfortunately…
Arsenal to win the race for Ousmane Diomande
Ousmane Diomande was a key transfer target for the Hammers last summer, but he remained with Sporting in the end.
Now, the powers that be at West Ham will be wishing that they’d pushed harder to sign the youngster last year.
According to a report from Correio da Manha, Arsenal are crazy about signing the 20-year-old Sporting centre-back this summer.
And the Gunners are allegedly set to come forward with an offer for the 6ft 3in Ivory Coast defender imminently, with Sporting set to open the bidding at €50 million (£42 million).
Diomande would be the dream signing for West Ham this summer, but it seems like we can rule out any chance of the Sporting star moving to the London Stadium now.
Football Talent Scout once described the 20-year-old defender as an ‘elite talent’, and they’re absolutely spot on.
The young Ivorian has absolutely everything needed to go on and become a truly top-class centre-back in the Premier League.
The Sporting star is very strong in the air, quick along the ground and he reads the game incredibly well for someone so young. The 20-year-old has real physicality as well and seems to be tailor made for the physically robust and intense nature of the English game.
If Arsenal get Ousmane Diomande for £42 million it will be an unbelievably good deal for them, and it will be another one on the long list of top-class players West Ham have missed out on.
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