Crystal Palace’s pursuit of Ousmane Diomande has just become significantly more expensive, and Arsenal’s imminent signing of Viktor Gyokeres is part of the reason why. According to TBR Football, Sporting CP have now raised their asking price for the Ivorian defender to the full £69 million release clause.
Palace had previously been in talks with Sporting and were willing to offer around £48 million for the 21-year-old centre-back. That figure was believed to be close to a breakthrough, but Sporting have now changed their stance after agreeing to sell Gyokeres to Arsenal in a separate deal worth around £65 million.
Sporting take stronger stance after Gyokeres sale to Arsenal
Sporting manager Rui Borges recently met with the club’s top brass to make it clear that Diomande, Morten Hjulmand, and Francisco Trincao are all considered essential to his plans. With Gyokeres leaving, Sporting are no longer under financial pressure and have made it known that only Diomande’s release clause will get a deal done.
That’s bad news for Palace, who are preparing for the possible sale of Marc Guehi and had targeted Diomande as his replacement. The 21-year-old was reportedly open to joining the Premier League, and while the deal isn’t dead, the increased cost has complicated things for Oliver Glasner and his recruitment team.
Arsenal’s market impact continues to grow
The Gunners’ deal for Gyokeres is beginning to ripple through the rest of the market. With one of their major assets sold, Sporting have strengthened their position across the board. Arsenal’s financial power in the Gyokeres transfer has now made it harder for clubs like Palace to get value in the same market.
Diomande’s numbers from last season paint the picture of a defender on the rise. He featured in 31 games for Sporting, played a key role in their title-winning campaign, and posted elite metrics in passing and clearances. His blend of athleticism and composure made him a standout in Portugal, and Palace will now have to decide whether to match the asking price or look elsewhere.
What comes next for Palace
Crystal Palace are still interested in Diomande, but the club are also tracking Rav van den Berg from Middlesbrough and have long-standing interest in Hayden Hackney. It’s unclear if van den Berg is being lined up as an alternative or simply as additional depth, but Diomande remains Glasner’s top choice.
For now, the ball is in Palace’s court. If they want to sign one of the most talented young centre-backs in Europe, they’ll need to meet Sporting’s new price. Thanks to Arsenal, that just became a whole lot more difficult.
