Leeds United ‘to push’ for £43m Ousmane Diomande in record move | OneFootball

Leeds United are pushing to sign Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande in a deal worth about £43m, which would break the club’s transfer record. According to 225Foot, the Ivorian is valued at around €50m.

Leeds’ current benchmark is Georginio Rutter at £35.5m in January 2023, and a Diomande fee would eclipse that figure.

The move would target a defender with elite recovery speed, a trait Leeds lack. UEFA clocked Diomande at 33.62 km/h in the Champions League this season, outstanding for a centre-back of his size.

At 22, he is already an Ivory Coast international and is valued at €42m by Transfermarkt. He has previously been linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.

In this season’s Champions League he posted 92 per cent passing accuracy, 23 ball recoveries and nine appearances.

Leeds’ centre-back group is strong, yet the long-term picture is not settled. Daniel Farke wants Pascal Struijk, whose deal runs to 2027, although Premier League interest has introduced uncertainty. A £43m outlay would be huge by Leeds standards, but if they can beat bigger Premier League clubs to Diomande it could be a genuine coup.

Source: Leedsunited.news