Arsenal have made a recent approach for Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande, according to claims from Portugal.
Newspaper Record today shares a story claiming the Lions are planning to keep him this summer, as they ‘close the door’ to any chances of a transfer.
All that concern is the result of Diomande’s recent form with Sporting, as he did very well in the final weeks of the season.
That’s why both Arsenal and Juventus reportedly made polls to know if there’s any chance to sign him this summer.
Record claims this is an ‘impossible’ scenario. That’s what Sporting told Diomande’s representatives, as the club have him ‘locked’ in Lisbon.
It’s said that in case Arsenal, Juventus or any other club want him, then the price of his release clause is €80m.
The most interesting part about this rumour today is that the Gunners had already been linked to Diomande back in January, when he still hadn’t joined Sporting.
At the time, there was a race to sign him from FC Midtjylland. He was playing in the Portuguese second division for Mafra on loan, and had been drawing interest from several clubs.
It was Sporting who won the race and they signed him for €7.5m on the final day of the January window. Then Arsenal faced the Lions in the Europa League, and after being impressed with the 29-year-old, would need to spend a lot more to bring him to London.
