Arsenal tipped to rival Chelsea for defender ahead of summer transfer war

Arsenal and Chelsea are gearing up for a hotly-contested bidding war in the summer transfer window, as they both lock their sights on Sporting CP defender Osumane Diomande. Sporting do not want to sell any of their star players this month, but it could be a different story when June rolls around.

According to A Bola, Arsenal are 'watching' the player during his international duty. Chelsea have been monitoring him for a longer span of time and their interest is thought to still be active.

Diomande is experiencing a wonderful season at Sporting so far, having played in 15 Liga Portugal games, scoring a single goal and notching up a solitary assist. He is currently with the Ivory Coast national team for their AFCON campaign.

What would Ousmane Diomande bring to Arsenal or Chelsea?

Chelsea are currently struggling all over the pitch, but notably, players across their backline are finding it difficult to fall into a run of good form. A consistent player, especially so for his age, Diomande could provide an injection of quality that the Blues are currently lacking.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are looking for a long-term option to partner William Saliba. Gabriel is a fine defender, but he is prone to mistakes - something that Diomande has not shown in his fledgling career thus far. Moreover, the Gunners are lacking in depth at centre-back, giving them yet another reason to pursue a deal for a world-class centre-half.

Diomande isn't quite at that level yet - but at the age of just 20 and with experience on the international stage for the Ivory Coast under his belt, the sky truly is the limit for this young man. It is up to him and his agent as to where he spends his career - but success seems like an inevitability for him.