Manchester United’s soon-to-be manager Ruben Amorim could look to raid his former club in the January transfer window, and according to Sky Sports, Ousmane Diomande is a target for the Red Devils.
Adding another central defender could be a priority for United in their next window, especially with Amorim often utilising a back three. The future of the likes of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are uncertain, and Amorim may want to bring in someone more accustomed to his system.
According to Sky Sports, Diomande is someone in United’s sights, with the centre-back valued at £70m. The report claims he could make the journey to England from Sporting, following manager Amorim. Diomande, described as an ‘absolute freak’ of a defender by analyst Jack Fawcett, has regularly played in the back three system of Amorim.
Both Maguire and Lindelof see their contracts expire at the end of the season, meaning we could see a bit of a rebuild in defence. Considering the struggles both players have had with breaking into the starting XI, it wouldn’t be a shock to see them seek fresh challenges at the end of the current campaign.
It appears that United’s priority could be to add a centre-back in the January transfer window, with reports also suggesting that Diomande’s team-mate, Goncalo Inacio, is another option for the Red Devils. TalkSPORT have also reported that United could revisit a move for Everton Jarrad Branthwaite, who is said to be open to a departure in 2025.
In the league this season, only Viktor Gyokeres and Francisco Trincao have started more games for Sporting than Diomande. At the age of just 20, the Ivorian defender has already become a key player for the Portuguese side. Whether he can make the step up to Premier League football remains to be seen, as there is certainly a difference in standard between the two leagues.
A move in the January transfer window could be difficult for Diomande with Sporting likely to want to keep him for the remainder of the campaign, so they may have to wait until next summer to make a play to secure his signature.