Sporting remains firm in its demand to receive over 80,000,000 euros for Viktor Gyokeres, secretly hoping to cash in the full 100,000,000, but the Lisbon club also wants to show that it’s in control even if it doesn’t sell the Swedish-Hungarian striker. The Portuguese giants are on the verge of completing their first major sale of the current transfer window, but not in the way most expected. Instead of their attacking superstar, the Alvalade club is set to be richly rewarded for the development of Ousmane Diomande, a young center-back from Ivory Coast who is close to signing with English side Crystal Palace.🚨 Ousmane Diomande is on his way to Crystal Palace for €55M. 🦅 The Sporting defender is set to become Crystal Palace’s most expensive signing ever. (Source: @abolapt)Does that mean Marc Guehi will be sold? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/ZXDRoEzB2o— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) July 1, 2025 According to the Portuguese newspaper A Bola, a deal between Sporting and the London club is practically done, with the transfer fee reaching 55,000,000 (Palace’s most expensive signing to date was Christian Benteke for around 32,000,000). Although Diomande’s release clause at Sporting was set at 80,000,000, the Lions were willing to lower the price, thus opening the door to negotiations. The final amount of 55,000,000 represents a compromise between both parties, although the percentage of any future resale that would go to Sporting is not yet fully determined. This sale comes at a time when Sporting still hasn’t resolved the situation with Gyokeres, whose 100,000,000 release clause has proven too high for all interested clubs. Teams like Arsenal and Chelsea are monitoring the situation, but concrete offers have not materialized—partly due to strained relations between Sporting and the player. In this context, Diomande’s transfer is a crucial financial move that could ease the club’s budget and allow more flexibility in future dealings.Quansah = Diomande = GuehiFor Crystal Palace, Diomande is more than just a replacement. He is expected to fill the void left by Marc Guehi, the England international who has already informed the club he won’t be extending his contract, which expires in 2026. This is Palace’s last chance to earn a significant fee from Guehi’s departure, and signing Diomande is seen as a timely response. Diomande is very interested in the move, primarily because he would be playing in the world’s most high-profile league, the Premier League. Another motivating factor is that Palace won the FA Cup last season, which, at least in theory, qualifies them for the Europa League. However, this participation is not yet guaranteed due to the club’s ownership structure. John Textor, the American investor who owns multiple clubs including French side Lyon—also qualified for European competition—will need to sell his stake in one of them for UEFA to allow both teams to compete.The African gem to break London’s 14 year fast?Diomande is set to sign a five-year contract and will receive a significant salary increase. Instead of his current 500,000 annual salary at Sporting, he will earn several times more in England—another key motivator for the move. For context, Ousmane Diomande joined Sporting in January 2023 from Midtjylland, who had previously loaned him to lower-league Portuguese club Mafra. The Danish club discovered him at Sport Abobo, a local club in his native Ivory Coast. Midtjylland received 7,500,000 at the time, along with bonuses and a crucial clause: 20% of any future sale. If the transfer indeed reaches 55,000,000, the Danish club would receive approximately 9,500,000 based on that clause.FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 2025TuesdayManchester City – Al Hilal 3-4 AET (2-2)/Silva 9, Haaland 55, Foden 104 – Leonardo 46, 112, Malcom 52, Koulibaly 94/22.00: (1.67) Real Madrid (3.70) Juventus (5.50)Wednesday04.00: (1.80) Dortmund (3.60) Monterrey (4.60)***odds are subject to change***
