Chelsea move ahead of Arsenal in race to sign 21-year-old star with €80m release clause: Reports

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are leading Arsenal in the race to sign Ousmane Diomande. Bayern Munich are apparently in the race as well, although the player would prefer to move to the Premier League.

Diomande joined Sporting CP from Midtjylland in 2023 and has since established himself as a first-team regular for the Portuguese side. He was briefly linked with a move to Manchester United following Ruben Amorim's move to Old Trafford in November last year.

However, the Red Devils have yet to make a move for the 21-year-old, who has played 25 games this season. Instead, it's the London duo who are locked in a battle for his services at the moment.

Chelsea are looking for defensive reinforcements amid the uncertainties surrounding the future of Axel Disasi. The Frenchman has failed to strike a chord at Stamford Bridge so far, registering 16 appearances across competitions this season.

He has only started four games for the Blues this season and is no longer a first-choice player under Enzo Maresca. Disasi might not be the only defender leaving Chelsea this year, and the club want to rope in Diomande to bolster their backline.

However, the Blues will face competition from Arsenal in the race for the Ivorian. The Gunners have a settled centre-back pairing in William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.

Recent reports have suggested that Real Madrid have their eyes on the Frenchman. Arsenal could turn to Diomande as a failsafe option if Saliba leaves. The Ivorian apparently has an €80m release clause in his deal, but Sporting CP could allow him to leave for €50-60m.

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Will Arsenal and Chelsea lock heads for Dusan Vlahovic this year?

Ousmane Diomande

Ousmane Diomande might not be the only player that Chelsea and Arsenal go head-to-head for this year. According to Tuttomercatoweb, the London duo are also in the race for Juventus hitman Dusan Vlahovic.

The Serbian striker has entered the final 18 months of his contract with the Serie A giants and has yet to sign a new deal. The Bianconeri remain determined to keep hold of him, but renewal talks are yet to yield a fruitful result.

Unless a new contract can be agreed upon soon, the player could be offloaded this summer. Chelsea and Arsenal are both in need of a proven No. 9 and are apparently eyeing the situation with interest, along with Manchester City. However, the report adds that the Blues are the favorites for the 24-year-old's signature.