Buyer beware – Club happy to sell defender to Manchester United for €50-60m, but there’s a reason for price drop

With reports at the weekend saying Manchester United want Ousmane Diomande to replace Raphael Varane this summer, the Portuguese media today shares some positive news on that.

Newspaper A Bola writes that Sporting are interested in selling the centre-back in this transfer window, as he’s a player who should guarantee them a big chunk of money.

The good news for Manchester United is that even though Diomande is protected by a €80m release clause, the Lions are willing to sell him for something between €50m and €60m.

There’s a reason for that, though. The centre-back has been having ups and downs recently, and A Bola admit that despite being ‘a key player in the first half of the league, the centre back lost his spark after taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations in January’.

It’s recalled that besides Manchester United, the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United have all been linked to Diomande this season. It remains to be seen if those clubs were just impressed with what he’d shown some months ago, or if they still have faith in his potential. Since Sporting are dropping the price, it doesn’t sound like there have been many bids arriving at their door.