FC Midtjylland sporting director Svend Graversen has confirmed that there is “huge interest” in Manchester City target Ousmane Diomande.
It was reported earlier this week that the Premier League champions had made an enquiry about the teenager, with Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon also believed to be interested in the player. Asked about the speculation, Graversen replied:
“It is no secret that there is huge interest in him. Then we have to see if there is something that can match what we want. We could see that he was really talented. What is perhaps surprising is the price of these players – especially the young ones. It only goes one way. It’s just a market that keeps on developing all the time, and it is only getting faster.”
Diomande is currently on loan at Portuguese second division outfit CD Mafra, where he has made sixteen appearances so far this season.
Despite the centre-back’s inexperience, though, Midtjylland are likely to demand as much as £7m for the player if an offer is tabled by City or another team this month.
Pep Guardiola’s side don’t generally do a lot of business during the January transfer window, but they have snapped up another youngster, Maximo Perrone from Velez Sarsfield, so they may also be considering a formal bid for Diomande before deadline day on Tuesday.