It is “practically a given” that Newcastle target Ousmane Diomande will leave Sporting Lisbon next summer, according to O Jogo.

The Portuguese publication say that the Magpies, along with Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea, are known to be keen on signing the Ivory Coast international.

Due to the number of clubs interested in Diomande, it is unlikely that Sporting will be able to keep hold of him for much longer, but they are considering offering the player a new contract anyway to protect his value.

O Jogo claim that, while the 20-year-old still has three and a half years left to run on his current deal, Sporting president Frederico Varandas may still offer an extension in order to increase the centre-back’s release clause.

Diomande’s current buyout fee is already €80m (£68.6m), but, as so many “powerful clubs” from England are interested in the player, they could look to raise this figure.

Newcastle are seriously interested in Diomande

O Jogo are not the only newspaper to mention Newcastle as a potential suitor for the defender. Last month, Danish news outlet Tips Bladet also reported that Eddie Howe’s team were actively pursuing him.

In fact, they went as far as to say that the Magpies could bid as much as 500m Danish Krone (£57.5m) for Diomande. Of course, that would still fall well short of the existing release clause.

Recruiting a centre-half may not be a priority for January

With Sven Botman still sidelined with a knee injury and Dan Burn out until the New Year with a back problem, there is a good case for reinforcing the centre of defence.

However, the cost of signing someone like Diomande in January would be prohibitive, and Newcastle are already walking a fine line in terms of Financial Fair Play.

Combined with the long-term injury suffered by no.1 goalkeeper Nick Pope, the Magpies may feel that their priorities next month lie elsewhere.

You can watch the documentary – Newcastle United: The Road Back To Europe on Shots! TV here