Chelsea are keen on signing Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande at the end of the season.
However, they could be priced out of a move unless they raise funds by selling some players.
A report from Football Insider claims that Chelsea have been monitoring the 20-year-old this season and they are ready to beat rivals Arsenal in the race for his signature.
Chelsea have recently announced a pre-tax loss of £90.1 million for the 2022-23 campaign and they will need to get rid of some of their players in order to balance the books and make way for future signings.
On the other hand, Arsenal will be better placed financially to get the deal done. Diomande is likely to cost a premium and Football Insider believe he is valued at £51 million.
The Gunners are currently fighting for the league title and they are likely to secure Champions League qualification.
Ousmane Diomande would improve Chelsea and Arsenal
The 20-year-old defender has the quality to develop into a top-class Premier League defender with the right guidance and he could be a key player for Chelsea or Arsenal in the long term.
Arsenal already have Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Ben White and Jurrien Timber as their centre-back options. It will be interesting to see if they sell someone to make way for Diomande.
It remains to be seen whether the Blues can raise the funds in the coming months and convince the player to join them despite the absence of Champions League football next season.
Chelsea are 11th in the league table and it is highly unlikely that they will be able to secure a top-four finish.
Chelsea need to plan for a future without Thiago Silva who is in the twilight stages of his career. Diomande could be the ideal long-term replacement for the Brazilian international.
I hope it’s Chelsea who gets the defender and not Arsenal. According to Sofascore he lacks discipline and has a poor rating overall this season, but he may be a better player in this Chelsea side, worth £50 million to Chelsea, who can easily afford the price tag of such a young 20 yr old prospect.