Ivory Coast international Ousmane Diomande has joined Nottingham Forest from Portuguese champions Sporting in a deal worth £34.3m (€40m).
The 22-year-old centre-back has signed a contract running until June 2030, with Forest holding an option to extend the agreement by another year.
Diomande’s move to England brings an end to his four-year association with Sporting, where he established himself as one of the club’s leading defenders and helped them win back-to-back Portuguese league titles.
Forest agreed a fixed transfer fee of about £34.3m for the defender following several weeks of negotiations.
Diomande said he was excited by the opportunity to join a club with Forest’s history and believes the team can achieve significant success during the new season.
“I am very happy to be here. It is a historic club, and it motivates me to join such a club,” said Diomande
“I believe we can achieve very good things this season and I am looking forward to meeting the players and head coach. I will give my best.”
The move also reunites Diomande with Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner, who had previously tried to sign the defender while in charge of Crystal Palace.
Glasner is understood to have been a major influence behind Forest’s pursuit of the Ivory Coast international.
The Austrian manager’s preference for a three-at-the-back system could also provide Diomande with an immediate role in the first-team setup.
Forest are expected to use the defender in a back three alongside Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo, with Diomande’s pace, physical strength and defensive ability potentially making him an important part of Glasner’s plans.
For Diomande, the transfer represents another major step in a career that began in Ivory Coast.
The defender was developed at Olympic Sport Abobo before moving to Europe. He subsequently spent time with Danish club FC Midtjylland before Sporting brought him to Portugal in January 2023.
His development in Lisbon was rapid. Diomande went on to make 132 first-team appearances for Sporting and played an important role as the club secured consecutive league championships in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
He also gained valuable experience in European competition, helping Sporting reach the Champions League quarter-finals last season. Their run ended against Arsenal, who eliminated the Portuguese side at the last-eight stage.
Internationally, Diomande has become an established member of the Ivory Coast squad.
He has won 15 caps for the Elephants and was included in the country’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. He featured once during the tournament, playing in Ivory Coast’s group-stage victory over Curacao.
His move to Forest therefore gives the West African defender the opportunity to continue his development in the Premier League after establishing himself in one of Portugal’s leading clubs.
The transfer is also significant for Nottingham Forest, who have chosen to invest heavily in a young defender with considerable experience at both club and international level.
Glasner’s previous interest in Diomande was a key factor in the deal.
The manager had attempted to bring the player to Crystal Palace before taking charge at Forest, and he has now finally secured the defender’s services.
