Nottingham Forest transfer news: Ousmane Diomande saga ends as Ivory Coast international signs in €40m deal

By Darren Plant | 11 Aug 2026 12:13, Last updated: 11 Aug 2026 12:20

Nottingham Forest person confirmed that they person signed Sporting Lisbon defender Ousmane Diomande.

While Forest's involvement successful the Ivory Coast planetary has been known for a fig of weeks, the East Midlands outfit person struggled to get a woody implicit the line.

That has been a effect of the 2 clubs haggling implicit the finer details of the proposal, which was ever going to beryllium successful the portion of €40m (£34.19m).

Although it has not been disclosed however overmuch volition beryllium paid up-front and successful add-ons, transfer adept Fabrizio Romano says that the last interest is the aforementioned amount.

Diomande leaves the Portuguese giants having made a full of 132 appearances since January 2023, scoring 7 goals.

Our fortress has been built, present it’s clip to support it. pic.twitter.com/HoxsTHFqJ5

Diomande speaks connected Nottingham Forest transfer

Speaking to the club's authoritative website, the 22-year-old - who has a declaration until 2030 with the enactment of a further 12 months - said: "I americium precise blessed to beryllium here. It is simply a historical club, and it motivates maine to articulation specified a club.

"I judge we tin execute precise bully things this play and I americium looking guardant to gathering the players and caput coach.

"I volition springiness my champion and each I tin to assistance the team. I cannot hold to conscionable the supporters astatine the City Ground and unneurotic we tin person a bully season."

Meanwhile, main shot serviceman George Syrianos added: "We person been precise wide connected the illustration of subordinate we privation to adhd to the squad, truthful we are excited to invited Ousmane to the club.

"He has fantastic acquisition for a defender of his age. Playing a important relation successful rubric winning teams and going into the second stages of the Champions League puts him successful a large presumption to integrate good present astatine Forest.

"Ousmane is simply a powerful, commanding defender, and arrives present with a winning mentality. He shares the aforesaid ambition for occurrence we have, and we are excited to spot the interaction helium tin person successful a Forest shirt."

Why Forest's Diomande woody could beryllium 1 of the champion deals of the summer

As with immoderate subordinate experiencing the Premier League for the archetypal time, Diomande whitethorn necessitate immoderate bedding-in clip astatine the City Ground.

At the aforesaid time, helium is successful enactment to diagnostic successful a backmost 3 alongside Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo.

On paper, each 3 could beryllium formidable successful Oliver Glasner's system, and determination are fewer clubs successful the Premier League who tin lucifer Forest successful that section erstwhile they are each fit.

With highly-rated Jair Cunha the archetypal alternate and the quartet each being aged betwixt 21 and 28, Forest look settled successful that country of the pitch.

If Glasner tin find the close equilibrium going forward, Forest could equine a situation for European qualification erstwhile again.