Manchester City make move to beat Arsenal to highly-rated teenage defender and other transfer rumours

Manchester City are hoping to beat the likes of Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon to teenager defender Ousmane Diomande, who is currently on loan at Portuguese side CD Mafra from FC Midtjylland in Denmark.

The 19-year-old Ivorian is on a season-long loan in the Portuguese Segunda Liga and has done enough at that level to attract the attention of much bigger clubs.

According to the Daily Mail, the reigning Premier League champions have made their move in trying to bring Diomande to Manchester, with City eager to beat the likes of Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon to the Ivory Coast talent, who Danish publication B.T. label as ‘a diamond’.

Currently out on loan at second-tier Portuguese side Mafra, Diomande has caught the eye of many having become a regular starter for the club this season, with the centre-back making 16 appearances in all competitions, scoring one and assisting another.

And now, City are in talks to sign Diomande from Midtjylland, with the Cityzens continuing to bolster out their youth ranks with some of the best talents in the world following the arrival of Argentine youngster Maximo Perrone from Velez Sarsfield.

The report also states that Arsenal and Sporting hold an interest in the defender, with Portuguese journalist Bruno Andrade reporting that Sporting have made an offer for Diomande.

The Portuguese giants are ready to offer €7m (£6.2m) with €1.5m (£1.3m) in add-ons, but Midtjylland are holding out for €10m for the teenager who has never played a competitive game for them.

Elsewhere, Sky Sports are reporting that the Blues are interested in signing Southampton academy star Jimmy-Jay Morgan. The Saints have a long history of developing future Premier League players including Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott and Adam Lallana.

Reports are now surfacing that the 17-year-old winger has rejected the chance to sign his first professional contract at St Mary’s and is looking for a new challenge. City, Arsenal and Leeds United’s academies are all thought to be ‘weighing up’ a move for the promising teenager.

So far this season, the Englishman has scored six goals and grabbed five assists for the Saints’ academy. Morgan also made it onto the bench for the Carabao Cup quarter-final tie with City earlier this month.