Newcastle leading chase for in-demand Diomande | OneFootball

Newcastle are leading the chase to sign Ousmane Diomande from Sporting Lisbon this summer, ahead of their Premier League rivals.

Diomande’s rapid emergence at Sporting has turned the head of England’s elite with the centre-back having been a standout performer since arriving from FC Midtjylland in January 2023.

The 20-year-old has formed part of a Sporting side who sit seven points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga under Ruben Amorim and also won the Africa Cup of Nations when representing the Ivory Coast earlier this year.

Newcastle are in the market for at least one new centre-back having seen Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles ruled out for extended periods with ACL issues and the Magpies are winning the race for Diomande, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola.

Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are among the clubs who are said to have tracked Diomande’s progress in Portugal, where he ranks among the leading defenders in the Primeira Liga for attempted passes, progressive passes, pass completion, carries and percentage of dribblers tackled.

Sporting are keen to keep the defender at the Estádio José Alvalade as the club prepare to return to the Champions League next season, though the Ivorian has a release clause of €80m (£69m). That figure would represent a club-record investment for Newcastle, eclipsing the £63m paid to sign Alexander Isak in 2022.

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