Transfer Centre

Arsenal 'lining up £150m January move for Sporting Lisbon duo'

By Carter White | 14 December 2023

Arsenal are reportedly plotting a double swoop for Sporting Lisbon duo Viktor Gyokeres and Ousmane Diomande during the January transfer window, with Chelsea also keen.

Arsenal are reportedly prepared to raid Sporting Lisbon in the January transfer window, with the Gunners eyeing up moves for Ousmane Diomande and Viktor Gyokeres.

Mikel Arteta's men are fighting on three fronts following their exit from the EFL Cup earlier in the campaign, finishing top of their Champions League group ahead of PSV Eindhoven, Lens and Sevilla.

The Gunners also look set to be involved in the title race this term, with the North Londoners currently second in the Premier League standings, just a point behind league leaders Liverpool.

After three-straight away matches across the Premier League and Champions League, Arteta's charges at back at the Emirates Stadium this weekend when they host Brighton & Hove Albion.

According to O Jogo via The Express, Arsenal are lining up a potential double swoop of Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon during the upcoming January transfer window.

Sporting Lisbon's Ousmane Diomande celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates on September 17, 2023 © Reuters

The report claims that the Gunners are interested in securing the services of defender Diomande in the New Year, with the 20-year-old enjoying regular first-team football in the Primeira Liga this season.

Diomande, a three-time Ivory Coast international, is said to have a release clause of £69m in his contract in Portugal, meaning that Arsenal could bid their way into discussions with the player.

Following the potentially season-ending injury to centre-back Jurrien Timber at the start of the campaign, Arteta is said to be looking at reinforcements for his backline in January.

Another player that Arsenal are supposedly keen on is Swedish striker Gyokeres, who secured a switch to the Portuguese giants from Championship side Coventry City in the summer for £20m.

Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres shoots at goal on January 21, 2023 © Reuters

The former Swansea City loanee bagged 21 goals in 49 second-tier appearances for Mark Robins's Sky Blues last term, helping the West Midlands club reach the playoff final, where they lost to Luton Town on penalties.

Netting nine times and providing four assists in his first 12 Primeira Liga matches, Gyokeres has made a flying start to life at Estadio Jose Alvalade and trails only Braga's Simon Banza in the division's Golden Boot race.

The towering forward's goalscoring record so far in the 2023-24 season has reportedly attracted the interest of both Arsenal and London rivals Chelsea, meaning that the Gunners may have to battle with the Blues in January for their target.

Diomande is also said to be on a shortlist of potential incomings at Stamford Bridge in the New Year, with Mauricio Pochettino's men desperate to improve on their current 12th-placed standing.

Gyokeres bagged the opening goal of Sporting's 3-0 success over Austrian outfit Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday night, with Ruben Amorim's men back in domestic action against title rivals Porto on Monday night.