Arsenal are keen to sign Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande, according to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo. The Ivory Coast international has established himself as one of the best defenders in Portugal’s top flight in recent times, helping Sporting sit level on points at the top of the Primeira Liga table.

Despite his elite defensive nous and physical attributes, Diomande is still only 19 years old, with plenty of clubs across Europe interested in prising him away from Sporting. One of those clubs is said to be the Gunners.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Diomande is a name that Mikel Arteta’s side have been tracking for a long time. "I’m told he’s a player Arsenal have been tracking for a long time,” the Italian told his Here We Go podcast .

Newcastle United have also been mooted as a potential destination for the talented youngster, with Ricardo Sousa, who coached Diomande during his loan spell at CD Mafra, also namedropping Arsenal when discussing teams who admire the commanding centre-half. "He’s one of those players who doesn’t make mistakes," Sousa told O Jogo, via Leonino.

"Manchester City’s main scout called me (during Diomande’s time at Mafra). And, before that, someone from Arsenal had already spoken to the club.

“So the recent interest from a club like Newcastle doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.” Arsenal will be short of defensive options in the New Year when versatile star Takehiro Tomiyasu heads to the Asian Cup with Japan in January.

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The former Bologna man could miss up to five games across all competitions depending on how The Samurai Blue does in the tournament. Therefore, recruiting someone like Diomande, who has a £69million release clause, in the January transfer window could make a lot of sense for Arteta and Co, who struggled last season when William Saliba and Tomiyasu picked up injuries towards the end of the campaign.