Liverpool Are Facing Stiff Competition For This Talented Defender: Should Slot Go For Him? | OneFootball

On Saturday’s print edition, A Bola mentioned that Liverpool are facing stiff competition for Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande. It has been claimed that the Reds would have to rival Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Bayern Munich in the race to land the Ivorian centre-half this summer.

Diomande’s Impressive Rise In Portuguese Football

Diomande had a solid campaign at the Portuguese club recently as he was responsible for putting in a run of impressive displays at the heart of their defence. The 21-year-old made 46 appearances for Sporting CP last season, scoring two goals and securing one assist in multiple competitions.

The Ivory Coast international was a rock at the back after he made 36 tackles, 16 blocks and 32 interceptions per 90 minutes in Liga Portugal. He was even excellent when distributing the ball from the back based on his pass success rate of 93.5% in the Portuguese top tier (stats via fbref.com).

His current contract at the Portuguese club will expire in the summer of 2027 which could make it tough for the Reds to sign him on the cheap this off-season.

FARO, PORTUGAL – JULY 19: Ousmane Diomande of Sporting CP before the start of the Pre-Season Friendly match between Sporting CP and KRC Genk at Estadio Algarve on July 19, 2023 in Faro, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

Should Liverpool Boss Arne Slot Go For Diomande?

Diomande is a tough-tackling defender who can sense the danger well to secure the ball back for his team on the defensive end of the field. He usually puts his foot through the ball when the opposition are on the offensive.

The Ivory Coast youngster excels at playing his way out from inside his half. However, he is still quite inexperienced at the highest level and would need time to adjust to life in the Premier League if Liverpool manage to bring him on board this summer.

Diomande would add more bite and steel to Arne Slot’s defence in the long run. He is good enough to challenge for a regular starting spot at the Merseyside club next season.

At 21, Diomande has got a bright future ahead of him, so the Reds would be wise to go for a player of his potential in this summer transfer window. He has the ceiling to be a success story at Anfield in the long run. However, Slot needs to give him some time before he can unlock the best out of the gifted defender.