Nottingham Forest Completes €40m Deal for Ousmane Diomandé

Nottingham Forest have moved decisively in the market, agreeing a €40 million deal with Sporting Portugal for highly rated centre-back Ousmane Diomandé, according to transfer specialist David Ornstein of The Athletic.

The 22-year-old is expected to fly to England as early as Saturday for his medical. If everything checks out, the right-footed defender will sign a five-year contract and become one of Forest’s flagship arrivals of the summer.

From bargain buy to major sale

Diomandé’s rise at Sporting has been rapid and lucrative. The Lisbon club only brought him in from FC Midtjylland in January 2023, paying between €7.5 million and €12.5 million and agreeing a 20 per cent sell-on clause with the Danish side. Eighteen months later, they are cashing in in spectacular fashion.

Sporting tied Diomandé down to a new contract at the start of this year, running to mid-2030 and containing an €80 million release clause. They are now accepting half that figure, but the profit remains huge, especially once Midtjylland’s percentage is accounted for.

For Sporting, this is another statement sale in a summer full of them. For Forest, it is a clear bet on a defender they believe can anchor their back line for years.

Forest’s new-look spine

Diomandé will not be short of familiar faces or quality around him at the City Ground. He is set to join up with compatriot Ibrahim Sangaré, the former PSV midfielder who already provides power and presence in the middle of the pitch.

Forest plan to use Diomandé in a back three alongside Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo dos Santos, a combination that hints at a more assertive, front-foot defensive structure. At 1.90 metres, the Ivorian brings height, range and the kind of physical profile that tends to thrive in the Premier League.

The club had already started reshaping the core of the team earlier in the window. Holding midfielder Xaver Schlager arrived on a free transfer from RB Leipzig, while attacking midfielder Gustavo Sá joined from FC Famalicão in a €20 million deal. Diomandé’s arrival adds another major piece to a squad being rebuilt with a clear emphasis on strength through the centre of the pitch.

Sporting’s summer of windfalls

For Sporting, Diomandé’s sale is yet another cash injection in a remarkable outgoing window. He becomes their fourth major departure of the summer at elite-market prices.

• Geovany Quenda’s move to Chelsea brought in €50 million.
• Morten Hjulmand left for Atlético Madrid for €40 million.
• Francisco Trincão departed for Al-Ahli, also for €40 million.

On top of those headline deals, Alisson Santos’ permanent transfer to Napoli added €16.5 million, while Diogo Travassos’ switch to SC Braga was worth €5.5 million. Diomandé’s €40 million fee slots neatly into a pattern: Sporting selling high, reloading, and staying competitive while their balance sheet swells.

Forest, by contrast, are spending aggressively to secure their Premier League status and push higher. The question now is simple: with Diomandé at the heart of a reinforced spine, how far can this rebuilt side climb?