Leeds United ‘agree personal terms’ with Ousmane Diomande as fee talks continue | OneFootball

Leeds United have reportedly settled personal terms with Ousmane Diomande, with negotiations over a fee with Sporting CP ongoing.

X reports that Leeds are in talks with Sporting CP and have a verbal agreement with the Ivory Coast defender, adding that discussions are in the final stretch and the Portuguese champions will not drop below €45m.

Securing the player’s commitment was considered the biggest obstacle. Sporting are under little pressure to sell, the centre-back is contracted until 2030 and protected by an €80m release clause.

Previous indications suggested Leeds were exploring a deal worth around £43m, and talk of higher demands has not pushed them away from the table.

Diomande, 22, is an Ivory Coast international with notable senior experience for his age, which points to a long-term addition rather than a short-term fix.

Should a full agreement follow, the fee would surpass the move that made Georginio Rutter the club’s record signing, underlining the scale of the commitment.

Personal terms do not complete a transfer and Sporting retain a strong negotiating position. Whether Leeds commit such a large portion of their budget remains uncertain, but winning Diomande’s approval leaves the fee as the final major hurdle.

Source: Leedsunited.news