The latest transfer headlines, including updates from Crystal Palace and Liverpool
Newly crowned FA Cup winner Crystal Palace are widely reported to be in talks over a deal to sign Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande this summer.
Diomande impressed last season for Sporting, making 46 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and providing one assist as the team lifted a second consecutive Portuguese title despite the mid-season departure of Ruben Amorim to Manchester United.The Ivory Coast international has adapted excellent to life in the Portuguese capital since making the move from FC Midtjylland in 2023 and is widely thought to be one of the best up and coming defenders in Europe at the age of 21.
He had been linked with a reunion with Amorim at Old Trafford and had also been thought of as a potential target for Newcastle United after they secured Champions League qualification. However, it’s Palace fresh from seemingly securing qualification for this year’s Europa League (despite the ongoing drama) that look to be winning this particular race.
Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano explains, via his YouTube channel: “Keep an eye on Palace, they're always very silent on the market in a positive way, because behind the scenes things happen and one of the things happening is their strong interest in signing Ousmane Diomande from Sporting.
“There is a negotiation already underway, going very well, between Diomande and Crystal Palace. The agreement with the player is done, and now they are working club to club to get it done also with Sporting. So, Ousmane Diomande could be the next signing for Crystal Palace.”
The 3AM verdict: Crystal Palace have been quietly building a very strong team for a while and the signing of Ousmane Diomande would be a real statement of intent that they not only want to do well in Europe but also stay there for years to come.
Given his age, profile and achievements so far it seems a real coup. The prospect of a partnership with Marc Guehi appears mouthwatering, but the likelihood is that he’ll probably be arriving as a replacement. Nevertheless it represents strong business from the Selhurst Park side’s perspective if they can get it over the line.
Liverpool ‘close’ to key agreement with Marc Guehi
News of Ousmane Dimonade’s potential transfer to South London has only added further fuel to speculation regarding a potential departure from Selhurst Park for club captain Marc Guehi. Newcastle notably went close to signing the player last summer after numerous rejected bids, while Tottenham are thought to have made a big effort of their own in January.
But it now appears champions Liverpool are the frontrunners as Arne Slot aims to mould the team in his image with a big-money defensive signing after already smashing the Premier League record on Florian Wirtz.
Guehi has only one year left on his contract, and while Crystal Palace value the star at £70m, they are understood to have set a price of around £45m to evaluate his possible farewell, via reports fromTEAMtalk.
The 3AM verdict: Marc Guehi has long been regarded as one of the finest centre backs in the Premier League and he’s quickly proving to be one of the first names in England’s defence.
Guehi captained Palace to FA Cup glory this season and has consistently shown he has the pace, intelligence and physicality to contain some of the league’s most lethal attackers.
Getting him in the final year of his deal could save Liverpool a ton of money and ensure that they have a long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk when his contract expires in two years time. This one seems like a no-brainer, with minimal risk given his career in the Premier League so far.
Bayer Leverkusen ‘accelerate’ their efforts to land Liverpool defender
Liverpool’s pursuit of Marc Guehi is expected to trigger the departure of Jarell Quansah, who is understood to be edging towards a transfer to Germany with Bayer Leverkusen.
Quansah is another name that was heavily linked with a move to Newcastle last summer in a potential swap deal involving Anthony Gordon, but that particular move never materialized.
The Liverpool academy graduate has played 58 times for his boyhood club and has already been included in several England squads. However, he found first team football harder to come by under Arne Slot amid the form of the tried and tested partnership of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.
The 3AM Verdict: Jarell Quansah is a talented defender with great versatility and the potential to eventually break into the England squad.But he needs game time to develop as a footballer and is unlikely to get that at Liverpool after making just four league starts last season.
With Jonathan Tah departing, a move to Leverkusen could represent the best opportunity for Quansah to harness his qualities and play regularly for a Champions League team while competing for the Bundesliga title. It seems a fair move for both parties, with Liverpool receiving an estimated £34m if the deal is successful based on earlier reports fromThe Athletic.
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