Expert insight from Portugal
Once linked with Arsenal, Man Utd & Real Madrid – Ousmane Diomande now close to Forest move
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Nottingham Forest are in advanced negotiations with Liga Portugal side Sporting over a deal to sign centre-back Ousmane Diomande for a fee expected to be around €40 million. The Ivorian, still only 22 years old, has for years been linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs after breaking through at Sporting as an 18 year old. Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid had all shown interest. However, injuries halted his progress, and he is now on the verge of signing for Forest – who narrowly missed out on relegation last term.
Market Value
O. Diomande
Centre-Back
€42.00m
Crystal Palace had also been linked with the 22-year-old while new Forest Boss Oliver Glasner was in charge at Selhurst Park, and the Austrian could now finally land his man. Diomande is seen as the perfect figure to slot in on the right side of defence in Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 formation. Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic have formed one of the most solid partnerships in the top flight in the last few years. So what’s the story with Diomande and what kind of defender are Forest signing? With expert insight from Portugal, we bring you everything you need to know about the Ivorian.
What can Ousmane Diomande bring to Forest?
"I think Diomande has a lot of quality and tremendous potential," reveals Transfermarkt Portugal Area Manager Gonçalo Tristão Santos. “But there is one concern: he’s somewhat injury-prone. As a result, he tends to miss a number of games every season. For example, in 2025/26 he featured in only 17 Liga Portugal matches, which was just half of the league campaign. That makes it difficult for him to maintain consistency, and I think that’s one of the main reasons why he wasn’t signed by one of Europe’s elite clubs.”
Nevertheless, Santos still feels Diomande can go to the top. "That said, I still believe he has time to reach one of the biggest clubs in Europe," he said. "He has enormous potential and will now have the opportunity to prove himself in the Premier League. He's only 22 years old, so there's still plenty of room for him to develop. When it comes to his strengths Santos reveals more: "I consider Diomande to be a strong centre-back, excellent in the air at both ends of the pitch, and very quick for his position.
Player Comparison
Ousmane Diomande
Ibrahima Konaté
Sporting CP
Real Madrid
€42.00m
Market Value
€45.00m
22
Age
27
Centre-Back
Position
Centre-Back
30/06/2030
Contract until
30/06/2030
Full Player Comparison
"He's also comfortable on the ball, although there's still room for improvement in that aspect of his game, and he can sometimes be a bit too aggressive in the challenge, committing a lot of fouls. I'd say Diomande has some similarities to Ibrahima Konaté. He’s not a clone of him, but he’s also physically dominant and possesses impressive pace for a central defender. I believe Diomande has more than enough quality to succeed in the Premier League. My biggest concern is his fitness. Will he be able to overcome those physical issues and play consistently? Hopefully, because that’s the only way he’ll be able to show his full potential at the highest level.”
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