Arsenal have made checks with the agents of Yan Diomande over the last few days as they consider whether to enter the race for the RB Leipzig winger. The move comes after Chelsea agreed a £117 million deal with Aston Villa to sign Morgan Rogers, who had been Mikel Arteta's top attacking target for the summer transfer window.
Fabrizio Romano said Arsenal made calls to understand the situation around Diomande, with the club now weighing up whether to move forward. He added that Arsenal are being especially attentive after missing out on Rogers, describing the Chelsea deal as a big shock that the Gunners did not expect.
Why Diomande is on Arsenal's radar
Diomande is only 19 years old, but his production last season explains why he is attracting attention. He scored 12 goals and registered eight assists in the Bundesliga, numbers that point to a winger with end product as well as upside.
That profile has already put him on the list for Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, and Romano noted that Diomande also has a personal terms agreement with Paris Saint-Germain, while the French club are in negotiations with Leipzig.
RB Leipzig are reported to want €120 million for the player, which places him firmly in elite transfer territory. It also shows why Arsenal's interest matters: if they do decide to push ahead, they would be entering a market where the competition is already intense and the price tag is substantial.
What happens next
For Arsenal, the immediate question is whether the checks with Diomande's camp turn into a real bid. The club has already lost its preferred attacking target in Rogers, so the next move will show how aggressively it wants to respond in the market.
Romano also said Arsenal are keeping a close eye on the situation of Julian Alvarez and Barcelona, underlining that this is not the only forward-related story the club is monitoring. For now, though, Diomande is the clearest name linked to Arsenal as they look for a new direction in attack.
