It’s been a few months since Arsenal started getting linked to Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande, as the Gunners are believed to have scouts at the African Cup of Nations watching him.
It turns out that the centre-back isn’t having his best form right now, and according to Record, that may impact his future.
The outlet explains that as he was dropped to the Ivory Coast’s bench, he hasn’t played in 19 days, and that’s a worry for Sporting.
That could even impact the interest from other clubs, as his ‘fall from grace’ at the national team ‘may wane’ the interest from Arsenal and others.
Diomande is protected by a €80m release clause, and that’s how much Sporting had been demanding in the January transfer window, confident he’d be worth the same or more in the summer.
That no longer sounds to be the case, though, and it’s now the club’s job to provide an environment that will bring him back to his peak in the coming months.
It remains to be seen whether that’ll result in Arsenal giving up on the signing or having the chance to get him for less money.
Other clubs such as Chelsea, Liverpoool, Bayern Munich and Juventus are also said to be interested.
