"Agreement with player done" - £51m Man United-linked star in talks over move to Premier League rival

Much of the talk when Ruben Amorim was appointed was about whether he would bring any of his Sporting CP players to Old Trafford following a very successful spell at the Portuguese club.

The obvious name to discuss is Viktor Gyokeres, who has been linked to United, but the striker has reportedly chosen Arsenal over Man United, and is holding out for a move to the Emirates Stadium, should the Gunners want to sign him rather than Benjamin Sesko.

But, United have also been linked to signing Ousmane Diomande this summer, a 21-year-old centre-back, who has become a mainstay in the Sporting CP starting XI. However, due to Diomande’s talent and potential, he has attracted interest from several Premier League rivals.

Crystal Palace in talks with Ousmane Diomande

United are one of several Premier League teams to be linked with Diomande. Chelsea, Arsenal and Crystal Palace have all been touted to want the Ivory Coast international, but it seems the latter are the closest to signing him.

According to an update by Journalist Fabrizio Romano, Palace are in talks with Diomande and Sporting CP, and an agreement between the player and the Eagles has already been agreed.

Romano said on his YouTube channel: “Keep an eye on Palace, they're always very silent on the market in a positive way, because behind the scenes things happen and one of the things happening is their strong interest in signing Ousmane Diomande from Sporting.

“There is a negotiation already underway, going very well, between Diomande and Crystal Palace. The agreement with the player is done, and now they are working club to club to get it done also with Sporting. So, Ousmane Diomande could be the next signing for Crystal Palace.”

Diomande impressed last season for Sporting, making 46 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and providing one assist. He was a key part of Sporting’s league title win, and would be a huge coup for Palace considering the interest from Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United.

It has been reported in the past that it would take a fee of around £51m to sign Diomande, which could be steep for Palace. However, if they do secure a place in the Europa League, then that will provide the Eagles with a handy cash boost that they can use in the transfer market.

If they do land the Sporting CP defender, it could be an indication that Marc Guehi is due to leave this summer. There has been interest in the England international from Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea in the past.

Who could United sign at centre-back instead?

If Palace secures the signing of Diomande, United will need to look at alternative targets if they want to improve at the centre-back position. They could decide to look at Diomande’s Sporting CP centre-back partner.

United have previously shown an interest in Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio, who has a great relationship with Ruben Amorim thanks to the United boss’ time managing him at the Portuguese club.

Inacio has a £52m release clause, but reports have said that Sporting could be willing to sell him for around £39m this summer. However, if they do sell Diomande, they would likely want more for Inacio as they’d be losing both of their centre-backs.

The Portuguese defender made 42 appearances for Sporting CP last season, scoring six goals and providing three assists. He also has 16 caps for the Portugal national team.

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