Although Manchester United won the FA Cup, there is no denying that they did not have a very fantastic season this year.
Erik ten Hag’s squad suffered from injuries, but their eighth-place finish in the Premier League was perfectly justified.
Along with having only the ninth-best offensive in the league, the Red Devils surrendered an astonishing 58 goals, 29 more than second-place Arsenal.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team have a lot of work to do this summer, but it appears they’re starting on the right track. The newest player tipped for a move to Old Trafford might be the perfect long-term partner for Lisandro Martínez.
According to a recent rumor from Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Manchester United is among several clubs interested in signing Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande this summer.
According to reports, United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle are also interested in the Ivorian international. However, the Red Devils have identified him as a priority replacement for Raphaël Varane, who left the club recently.
According to the source, the Lisbon-based side has set the bar for offers at roughly €50 million to €60 million, which equates to around £43 million to £51 million, which may prove to be a fair price in the long run.
It may be difficult to get over the line, but with Varane gone, the club requires a new long-term defensive partner for Martinez, and Diomande might be the ideal candidate.
Why would Diomande be the ideal Martinez partner?
Diomande, described as a “hybrid between Gabriel and Saliba” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, would be an ideal defender to start alongside Martinez in the near future for a few reasons.
The first is rather simple, yet it makes a difference: his favourite foot. The 20-year-old centre-back is generally right-footed, so he would complement the left-footed Argentine and contribute to a more balanced backline.
His underlying figures are the second reason, since, in direct comparison to the United players, he seems right at home and even outperforms them in a number of areas.
