Arsenal may have ended another season without a major honour this year, but Mikel Arteta's side took another step forward in 2023/24.
The Spaniard's team picked up the most wins they've ever had in a Premier League campaign, scored three more goals than last year and produced the best defence in the league.
So, while a new forward or midfielder is expected to join the club sometime in the next few months, recent reports suggest Edu Gaspar and Co are looking to build upon the team's biggest strength by pursuing a new defender likened to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes this summer.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from Portugal, Arsenal are 'crazy' about Sporting CP's star defender, Ousmane Diomande, and could come forward with a proposal soon.
The story claims that while the Ivorian international's contract has a release clause worth €85m, which is around £72m, discussions for the player's services are likely to start at around €50m, which would be around £43m.
Alongside the Gunners, Chelsea are said to be incredibly interested in the young centre-back, although with Champions League football secured and a clearer future, Edu and Co may have an easier job convincing the player to come to North London.
It won't be a cheap deal to complete, but it doesn't look like it will be extortionate either, and with comparisons to Saliba and Gabriel, this is a prospect Arsenal cannot afford to miss out on.
How Diomande compares to Saliba and Gabriel
Now, comparing a young up and coming defender to the two centre-backs in the league's best defence is certainly bold, but it comes from data analyst Ben Mattionson, who describes Diomande as "a hybrid between Gabriel and Saliba."
The comparison to the Brazilian likely stems from Mattinson's description of the Ivorian as a "solid immovable brick wall", while he probably sees similarities to the Frenchman in his ability to "dunk" on players in 1v1s, using his sheer "presence" as an advantage.
However, how does the 20-year-old stack up to the Arsenal pair when looking at their underlying numbers? Well, it's much closer than you might think.
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.09
0.05
0.15
Assists
0.04
0.03
0.00
Progressive Passes
5.15
4.13
3.46
Progressive Carries
0.94
0.42
0.38
Passing Accuracy
91.6%
92.4%
88.7%
Shot-Creating Actions
1.15
0.76
0.68
Tackles
1.74
1.08
1.42
Tackles Won
1.02
0.68
0.83
Blocks
0.47
0.84
1.30
Interceptions
0.55
0.76
0.92
Clearances
1.83
2.13
2.96
Ball Recoveries
5.62
5.61
4.02
Aerial Duels Won
2.00
1.89
2.28
For example, while the 6 foot 3 titan comes out second or third best in most metrics, it isn't by very much at all, and he comes out on top in a few areas, such as progressive passes and carries, assists, shot-creating actions, ball recoveries, tackles and tackles won, all per 90.
In fact, the Abidjan-born ace only comes last in three statistics, suggesting that as he continues to develop, he could seamlessly slot into the Gunners' backline and not bring the side's overall quality down.
Ultimately, while Diomande wouldn't come into the team and replace either Saliba or Gabriel right away, his talent is evident, and over time, he could be the perfect successor to one of them.
Therefore, Edu and Co should do what they can to bring the Sporting star to N5 this summer, especially at his new lower price.
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