Newcastle United are interested in signing Sporting CP's teenage defender Ousmane Diomande and could look to rival a Premier League giant for his signature.
What's the latest on Ousmane Diomande to Newcastle?
That's according to a report from Caught Offside, which claims that Eddie Howe's Magpies are poised to battle Arsenal for the 18-year-old centre-back, who has caught the eye in Portugal this term.
He's not thought to be a priority at present, however, and given that the Leões have placed a £68m price tag on his head, it is unlikely that he will move for such an exorbitant valuation, but should negotiations prove successful, United sporting director Dan Ashworth might be able to orchestrate a deal for a precocious talent with a lofty ceiling.
Newcastle did qualify for the Champions League last season and have the affluence to pull off a transfer, but whether the cogs fall into place does still remain to be seen.
How good is Ousmane Diomande?
The aforementioned report states that while Sporting are under no pressure to sell their starlet, who is contracted to the club until 2027, he is "seduced" by the idea of plying his trade for a Premier League outfit.
And he certainly fits the mould for an aspiring ace looking to thrive in the English top flight, with FBref ranking the centre-half among the top 10% of positional peers across the divisions below the top European five for goals, the top 1% for passes attempted, the top 2% for progressive passes, the top 4% for progressive carries, the top 5% for successful take-ons and the top 5% for tackles per 90.
He is also listed as the most comparable player to Ajax's Jurrien Timber, who is closing on a £40.5m move to Arsenal – effectively, this could indicate Newcastle are eyeing the superlative options to cement their backline over the next decade, rivalling the Gunners and more in their ambitions for silver-laden success.
He has even left talent scout Jacek Kulig waxing lyrical over the ace's ability, who said: "You rarely see a player with such high ball-playing and pure defender skills. There are some tactical improvements but I'm quite sure this kid will play for the best teams in the world. The signs of elite talent."
Diomande would enter as an unknown prospect but could swiftly emerge as the number one option to partner Sven Botman at the heart of the St. James's Park defence, with the Dutch defender excelling since moving to the club from Lille for £35m, earning praise for his "colossal" impact by journalist Josh Bunting.
With Botman the centrepiece of a thriving defence – the Premier League's joint-best last term, having conceded 33 goals (alongside Manchester City) – Diomande would have the perfect partner to absorb the fruits of his labour and continue his burgeoning rise.
And the variegated skill sets would also provide Howe with a dynamic defence, utilising Botman's aggressiveness and no-nonsense approach while harnessing the ball-playing skills of Diomande.
Given the trajectory which Newcastle are riding at present, Diomande could be a stellar signing to make, and despite his youthful years and inexperience, the signs of a first-class defender are there and the Toon side must make their move.