(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Arsenal miss out on £47m deal for ‘physical phenomenon’ as Palace steal a march

Originally posted on Just Arsenal | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 8:00 AM ET

If Mikel Arteta ever truly wanted Ousmane Diomandé, there may never be a better time to act than now.

According to A Bola, Crystal Palace have agreed a £47 million deal with Sporting CP for the highly rated Ivorian defender, a player long admired by Arsenal.

Arsenal miss out on Premier League-ready powerhouse

Despite being linked with Diomandé for months, Arsenal’s failure to make a concrete move has allowed Palace to swoop in. The 21-year-old has been widely tipped to take the Premier League by storm, with Portuguese journalist Patrick Ribeiro describing him as:

“A physical phenomenon with composure in abundance… it’s no surprise half the top sides in the Premier League have been on his case since January,” as cited by PortuGOAL.

But while Arsenal may have missed out, it could be for good reason.

Mosquera viewed as ideal Saliba deputy

The Gunners are now focused on Cristhian Mosquera. Valencia have offered the 21-year-old a new contract in a bid to retain Mosquera however, the player’s head has already been turned by Arsenal’s interest.

Mosquera is viewed internally as the ideal deputy for William Saliba. The suggestion is that, like the Frenchman, he is a ball-playing centre-back who fits Arteta’s tactical blueprint.

Is he the missing piece in Arteta’s defensive puzzle? Only time will tell.

With Diomandé seemingly Selhurst Park-bound, Arsenal’s quiet confidence in Mosquera may yet prove the more brilliant move.

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

This article first appeared on Just Arsenal and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: