Chelsea have made contact with Sporting CP over Arsenal-linked defender Ousmane Diomande, according to a report.

The Evening Standard write that Chelsea have made contact with Sporting CP after identifying Ousmane Diomande as one of their primary transfer targets for the January window.

Sporting have already knocked back that initial enquiry, insisting they’ll only sell the player for his €80m (£69.4m) release clause.

Midtjylland have a 20% sell-on clause in Diomande’s contract, which is perhaps a motivating factor for the Portuguese club to make sure they bring in as much money as possible.

But perhaps Sporting are also hoping that the competition for Diomande’s signature will push Chelsea to pay a high price, given the previous links to Arsenal.

Portuguese outlet Record recently reported that Diomande continues to be highly coveted by Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Newcastle United, despite his current club’s attempts to renew his contract.

Having only signed for Sporting in January, Diomande already has a deal lasting until 2027. But the club are already trying to extend that deal.

Diomande turned 20 in the last month, so he’s still very much at the beginning of his senior career. Yet he’s already made his senior international debut for the Ivory Coast, and he’s made over 50 club appearances in first-team football.

Those 50 appearances include two against Arsenal, when he helped Sporting to secure a penalty shoot-out victory over the Gunners in last season’s Europa League.

The Gunners have been linked with the youngster all year, and it was reportedly largely due to Brexit complications that they didn’t sign him before he even joined Sporting.

It seems the club now have competition from Chelsea, which is sure to drive the price sky-high.