Arsenal make contact with Ivorian star's agent

Arsenal have reportedly made contact with the representatives of Sporting Lisbon defender Ousmane Diomande.

The Ivorian has been on the Gunners radar since the winter of 2022. They were keen on signing him from Midtjylland but Sporting beat them to his signature before the deadline.

The club made another attempt to land him last summer, but they were unsuccessful. Sporting turned down their bid of €35m by insisting that the defender was not for sale.

It is now reported that they are keeping tabs on his progress and could return for him in the summer. The club have already made contact with his entourage over a possible deal.

Chelsea are also in the running to sign the Ivorian starlet but they may struggle to convince him unless they qualify for the Champions League in the 2024/25 campaign.

The Blues are currently 10th in the league where they finished last season. The lack of progress could hamper their prospects of landing quality talent in the near future.