Arsenal have reportedly now promised both a player and their club that they will make a concerted move this coming summer.
Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar will have surely discussed a number of transfer targets during this international break, a rare chance for the duo to take stock.
Arteta’s focus will quickly be moving to this weekend’s incredibly important Manchester City tie once his players return from their respective nations.
It’s certainly interesting to consider who the club will target, especially after all the talk around signing a striker like Ivan Toney in January.
It does feel as if Toney’s stock has slightly fallen since his return, and perhaps another Arsenal linked player, Victor Osimhen, could prove incredibly hard to sign.
Surprisingly, Arsenal may invest heavily this coming summer without recruiting a striker, instead keeping faith with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and perhaps even Eddie Nketiah.
Of course, that begs the question – where will Arsenal spend?
And judging by a new report by Record in Portugal, a lot of that money will be invested in a new centre-back.
Arsenal have promised Ousmane Diomande they will make a move this coming summer
Whilst Gabriel Magalhaes has strong back up in Jakub Kiwior, William Saliba doesn’t have a ready-made alternative.
That could be Ben White if he weren’t starting at right-back, but it would seem inhibitive to sacrifice everything he brings offensively.
That being said, Record have now reported that Arsenal have ‘promised’ both Sporting CP and Ousmane Diomande that they will make a move in the coming summer.
20-year-old Diomande is an incredibly exciting profile, a move all Arsenal fans should probably be getting behind should it come to fruition.
And this report confirms that the centre-back’s £69m release-clause will need to be met in one way or another.
Chelsea are also said to be chasing a deal, which does make sense given their attempts to build a squad full of Europe’s best young talent.
And whilst Diomande may play back to Saliba initially should this information prove true, he would certainly be capable of challenging Arteta’s starting pair with time.
All that being said, it seems Arsenal could be about to sell a much-loved player to pave the way for such business.
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