Arsenal transfer news
If the Gunners are going to be in the race for the Premier League title once again this season, they may need to strengthen in attacking areas, given that they don't have a player in the mould of Erling Haaland or Mohamed Salah in front of goal.
As such, there have been reports linking Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres with a move to north London, while they are also said to be keen on signing RB Leipzig's up-and-coming striker Benjamin Šeško. Mikel Arteta's side have been particularly impressive defensively in recent times, conceding the fewest goals of any Premier League side last season, and the manager's marquee summer signing was Riccardo Calafiori.
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However, there are indications that Arteta may need to bolster his backline further in the January transfer window, considering that Jakub Kiwior is said to have been put up for sale.
Arsenal targeting Ousmane Diomande
With that in mind, Arteta appears to have identified a potential replacement in defence, as reports from Portugal (via Sport Witness) state that an approach has been made for Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande. However, the 20-year-old will not come cheap, as he has a release clause of €80m (£66m) included in his current contract, which Sporting continue to refer to in their negotiations.
The report states that both Arsenal and Chelsea have already made approaches for the defender, which have been knocked back by the Portuguese club, while German giants Bayern Munich are now intensifying their efforts to get a deal over the line.
All three clubs are said to hold a 'serious' interest in the centre-back, and while he is aware that club are beginning to queue up for his signature, he is focussed on his career at Sporting in the meantime.
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If the Gunners are able to win the race for the youngster, he could be a solid addition to the squad, with football scout Jacek Kulig claiming that he has "absolutely everything to become a top-class CB". Performance analyst Jack Fawcett has also been full of praise for the Sporting starlet.
Even though the Ivorian is just 20 years old, he has a plethora of first-team experience with Sporting, making 26 league appearances in the title-winning 2023-24 season, and he has made three outings in the Champions League in the current campaign.
As such, there are clear signs that Diomande could be destined for great things, so it is promising news that Arsenal appear to be one of the clubs firmly in the race for his signature, and it will be interesting to see how the situation develops before January
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