In a recent report, The Daily Mirror claimed that Newcastle United are set to step up their pursuit of Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande. It has been stated that the Magpies are showing interest in securing the services of the Ivory Coast talent this January.
Diomande’s Solid Season At Estádio José Alvalade
The 20-year-old is having a solid campaign at the Portuguese club as he put in a string of decent displays for them on the defensive end of the field. Diomande has scored four times and grabbed two assists in 42 appearances for Sporting this season across various competitions.
The Ivory Coast defensive ace has been a dominant presence inside his half and has done well to average 1.5 tackles and 1.7 clearances per 90 minutes in Liga Portugal. He has even been careful when distributing possession as evidenced by his pass success rate of 91.2% in the Portuguese first division (stats via whoscored)
His current contract at Sporting will run out in the summer of 2027. Thus, Newcastle would have to launch a big offer if they are serious about signing Diomande this January.
Should Newcastle United Get Diomande On Board?
Diomande is a good tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to secure the ball back for his team inside his half when he is playing well on the pitch. He doesn’t hesitate to put his foot through the ball when the opposition are on the offensive. Standing at 1.90m, Diomande can be a dominant presence in the air as well.
The Ivory Coast talent is an accurate distributor of the ball. However, he is still quite raw and would need time to prove his worth at the highest level. We can expect him to bring more bite and steel to Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe’s defensive department.
Diomande might even help the Magpies challenge for some major honours over the next decade. Hence, it makes sense for Newcastle to go all out to get the Sporting CP sensation on board before the end of this transfer window. Diomande would serve as a great option for the Tyneside club to consider in the long run as they look to build a strong squad for the future.
