Liverpool to battle it out with Newcastle for €80m-rated defender

Liverpool and Newcastle United have been linked with the move for Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande.

According to Portuguese publication O Jogo via SportWitness, the 20-year-old has attracted the attention of several Premier League clubs with his performances.

Liverpool and Newcastle United have been mentioned as potential destinations and the two English clubs have been keeping tabs on his progress.

Diomande has a €80 million release close in his contract, and it seems unlikely that any club would be willing to pay that kind of money for him. The 20-year-old has the attributes to develop into a top-class player, but he is still quite unproven at the highest level.

Ousmane Diomande would be a future investment

There is no doubt that he would be a solid, long-term investment for Liverpool and he could improve them defensively. Joel Matip will be out of contract in the summer and Liverpool must look to replace him adequately. The 20-year-old defender would be the ideal fit for them.

The opportunity to move to Liverpool will be an exciting one for the young defender and he will look to fulfil his potential with regular football in the Premier League. Liverpool could help him challenge for major trophies consistently as well.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United will have to bring in a reliable partner for Sven Botman. They have been quite vulnerable defensively this season and signing a quality central defender should be a top priority for them. Diomande could form a quality partnership with the Dutchman at the heart of the Newcastle defence. It remains to be seen which of the two English clubs come forward with an official proposal to sign the defender in the summer.