Manchester United have signed four players so far this summer, but the Ousmane Diomande deal is a huge transfer lesson for them.
After being linked to Man Utd for the longest time, Ousmane Diomande of Sporting has made a somewhat shocking move to Nottingham Forest.
The defender joins Oliver Glasner’s new-look XI for €40m, add-ons included, to seal a remarkable value-for-money deal.
Having signed Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans for the midfield so far, therein lies a lesson for Man Utd this summer.
FACT: Youri Tielemans is the best value signing any Premier League club will make all summer!
We challenge you to disagree! How would you rate this deal out of 10?
Ousmane Diomande deal shows there’s value outside England
There is no escaping the fact that the Super League might have died down, but the Premier League is basically Super League in disguise.
The relegated teams in England stand to earn more than league champions in the likes of Italy and France, so the deals between two PL clubs have gone beyond insanity.
It feels like if you want to buy a Premier League player who is a starter for their club, the negotiations will begin at £70m, regardless of the player’s quality or pedigree.
Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers combined are worth £233m, which is more than the value of most clubs in France as a whole.
In such a market with no value, the deal for Ousmane Diomande is an escape from the wild, wild west of the Premier League.
Diomande has been one of Sporting’s best players for the last few years, and at just 22, has his best years ahead of him.
Moreover, his physicality and ball-playing ability will translate perfectly to English football, so the €40m fee could end up looking like a joke this time next year.
It won’t be a surprise if some Premier League club is bidding twice that fee for him next summer, and Forest scoff at it in disgust.
Therein lies the lesson for Man Utd, who are in search of a third midfielder.
Man Utd’s third midfielder should be from outside the Premier League
United have done well so far to escape the madness of the league, signing Tielemans and Santos for a fee that gets you twice-relegated Mateus Fernandes.
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However, they are still missing that third midfielder who can provide immediate stardust to the team, and for that, the Premier League is not the place to be.
The likes of Alex Scott, Carlos Baleba, or Adam Wharton will all cost north of £90m, while an established French international, Manu Kone, is being mooted at £50m.
Sure, there’s a risk of the signing not working out, or taking time to adjust to the league, but no signing is a guarantee.
For every Manuel Ugarte, there is a Senne Lammens, and if the difference between an Ugarte and Lammens equates to nearly £50m, then it’s worth taking a punt on a foreign import.
United have been brilliant at finding value for money in the market, and the only way it can happen for a third midfielder is if they cast their net outside the Premier League.
There are Ousmane Diomande-s to be had if you look closely enough.
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