Live from Old Trafford – Manchester United has reached an agreement to sign Ousmane Diomande. However, the player has expressed his desire not to join the club, stating that he does not consider Manchester United a major team in England. Diomande prefers to play for Manchester City to compete for titles.” FIND OUT MORE: LINKS IN THE COMMENT
Despite ending the season with an FA Cup triumph, Manchester United’s overall performance was lackluster. Injuries plagued Erik ten Hag’s squad, leading to a justified eighth-place finish in the Premier League. The team struggled offensively, ranking ninth in the league, and defensively, they were poor, conceding 58 goals—29 more than second-place Arsenal.
This underwhelming season underscores the significant work Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Manchester United’s management face this summer. Encouragingly, they seem to be moving in the right direction, with their latest transfer target, Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP, showing promise as a long-term partner for Lisandro Martínez.
### Manchester United’s Transfer News
As reported by Portuguese outlet A Bola, Manchester United is among several clubs interested in acquiring Ivorian international Ousmane Diomande this summer. Other contenders include Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle. However, United appears to have made Diomande a priority to replace Raphaël Varane, who recently announced his departure. Sporting CP has priced Diomande between €50 million to €60 million (around £43 million to £51 million), a fee that could be justified by his potential.
Securing Diomande will be challenging, but with Varane’s exit, Manchester United urgently needs a new long-term defensive partner for Martínez. Diomande seems to fit the bill perfectly.
### Why Diomande Would Be the Ideal Partner for Martínez
Described by data analyst Ben Mattinson as a “hybrid between Gabriel and Saliba,” Diomande has the attributes to complement Martínez. Here’s why Diomande could be a perfect addition to Manchester United’s defense:
1. **Preferred Foot**: Diomande is right-footed, which would balance Martínez’s left-footedness, creating a more cohesive backline.
2. **Impressive Statistics**: Diomande’s metrics are impressive compared to United’s current defenders. He boasts higher non-penalty expected goals and assists, more progressive passes, more shot-creating actions, and better passing accuracy than both Martínez and Varane. He also miscontrols the ball less frequently and wins more aerial duels.
3. **Physical Presence**: At 6 feet 3 inches, Diomande’s height provides a significant aerial advantage, addressing one of Martínez’s vulnerabilities. U23 scout Antonio Mango describes Diomande as the “perfect blend of a modern-day centre-back and a no-nonsense centre-back.”
### Statistical Comparison
A comparison of key statistics from recent seasons for Diomande, Martínez, and Varane reveals Diomande’s potential:
| Stats per 90 | Diomande | Martínez (22/23) | Varane |
|————–|———-|——————|——–|
| Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists | 0.09 | 0.03 | 0.09 |
| Goals | 0.09 | 0.04 | 0.07 |
| Progressive Passes | 5.15 | 3.53 | 3.86 |
| Progressive Carries | 0.94 | 0.51 | 1.05 |
| Passing Accuracy | 91.6% | 87.0% | 88.9% |
| Shot-Creating Actions | 1.15 | 0.77 | 1.05 |
| Tackles Won | 1.02 | 1.19 | 0.72 |
| Tackles + Interceptions | 2.30 | 3.70 | 2.16 |
| Blocks | 0.47 | 2.17 | 1.50 |
| Miscontrols | 0.38 | 0.47 | 0.39 |
| Ball Recoveries | 5.62 | 6.98 | 4.38 |
| Aerial Duels Won | 2.00 | 1.36 | 1.37 |
These stats suggest that Diomande not only matches but often exceeds his potential teammates and predecessor in crucial defensive and offensive aspects.
### Conclusion
While signing players from leagues outside Europe’s top five is always a risk, Diomande’s performance, underlying statistics, and physical attributes make him a strong candidate to be Martínez’s long-term defensive partner at Manchester United. Given his age and the positive evaluations from scouts and analysts, securing Diomande could be a strategic move to bolster United’s defense for the future. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team seem to be making wise decisions in their quest for new talent, indicating a promising future for Manchester United.
