Chelsea are interested in Sporting center back Ousmane Diomande, but Crystal Palace could also enter the race for the player, Idman.Biz reports.
Diomande's current contract includes an 80 million euro release clause, and that figure appears unaffordable for Crystal Palace. However, the very fact that another club is showing interest could make the deal more difficult for Chelsea: Sporting gain additional leverage to negotiate more aggressively on both the fee and terms, and to speed up the talks.
Diomande is 22 and under contract with Sporting until 2027. It is also noted that Chelsea are exploring defensive reinforcements amid uncertainty over the future of Marc Guehi, whose contract with Crystal Palace runs until the summer of 2026.
