Crystal Palace has struck a deal to bring in Ousmane Diomande from Sporting Lisbon, with the defender set to fill the boots of Marc Guehi, who could be on his way to Liverpool.
The Eagles are poised to lose their defensive linchpin but have swiftly responded by securing a player from the Portuguese champions. While they've been adamant about keeping Viktor Gyokeres this summer, negotiating Diomande's departure has proven to be a smoother process.
Sporting had a release clause in Diomande's contract that could have seen them demand €80 million ($94.5 million), but according to A Bola, they were open to accepting less and the FA Cup victors appear to have secured the Ivorian for €55M (£64.97M). The only remaining issue to iron out is the percentage of any future sale.
Palace stands to make a substantial profit on Guehi, whom they declined to sell to Newcastle last summer but can get his dream jersey number at Liverpool. However, with his contract nearing its end, they've shown a readiness to cash in, and Liverpool have seized the opportunity to recruit the England international.
The London club is hopeful that Diomande's acquisition will bolster their European campaign. Palace is still awaiting a final decision from UEFA, which hinges on Lyon and the competition they'll participate in after both clubs share the same owner until John Textor sells his stake last week.
Liverpool's acquisition of Guehi would push their spending close to the £250M ($343.76M) mark, following the signings of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. Arne Slot is keen to strengthen his defensive options, which could soon be thin on the ground.
Ousmane Diomande is set to move to Selhurst Park
Ousmane Diomande is set to move to Selhurst Park (Image: (Image: Getty))
Virgil van Dijk, the team's cornerstone, chose to pen a new deal and stay at Anfield, but promising youngster Jarell Quansah looks set to join Bayer Leverkusen.
Ibrahima Konate, on the other hand, has just one year remaining on his Reds contract and there are indications he may seek a move elsewhere, with PSG and Real Madrid showing interest.
Recent reports suggest he's dissatisfied with what's been offered so far, and it currently seems more probable than not that the two parties will part ways next summer.
Guehi can now boast of being an FA Cup-winning captain and a regular starter for England, ticking the homegrown box. He'll turn 25 in a fortnight, entering the peak of his career, and is ready for his next challenge, with Anfield likely to be his new stomping ground.