Nottingham Forest Secure Ousmane Diomandé for €40 Million
Nottingham Forest are closing in on a statement signing at the heart of their defence, with Sporting Portugal accepting a €40 million offer for Ousmane Diomandé, according to transfer specialist David Ornstein of The Athletic.
The 22-year-old centre-back is expected to fly to England as early as Saturday for his medical. If all goes to plan, the right-footer will sign a five-year contract and immediately become one of the cornerstones of Forest’s rebuild.
Forest land a giant for the back line
At 1.90 metres, Diomandé brings the kind of physical profile Premier League managers crave, but this move is about more than size. Sporting only tied him down to a new deal at the start of the year, running to mid-2030 and protected by an €80 million release clause. Now they are cashing out at exactly half that figure.
It is a remarkable turnaround. Sporting picked him up from FC Midtjylland in January 2023 for a fee between €7.5 million and €12.5 million, a deal that also gave the Danish club a 20 per cent sell-on clause. Midtjylland will now see that clause activated in emphatic fashion, while Sporting bank a huge profit on a player they held for just over a year and a half.
Forest, for their part, are getting a defender entering his prime years, with European experience and a growing reputation. He is expected to slot into a back three alongside Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo dos Santos, offering power, recovery pace and comfort on the ball.
There is also an instant dressing-room connection. Diomandé will link up with compatriot Ibrahim Sangaré, the former PSV midfielder who already anchors Forest’s engine room.
A clear plan at the City Ground
This is not an isolated splash. Forest have been busy reshaping the spine of their team this summer.
They have already brought in holding midfielder Xaver Schlager on a free transfer from RB Leipzig, a shrewd bit of business for a player with Champions League pedigree. Attacking midfielder Gustavo Sá arrived from FC Famalicão for €20 million, adding creativity and thrust between the lines.
Diomandé now adds heft and authority behind them. A new-look core is emerging: Schlager to screen, Sá to supply, Diomandé to marshal.
Sporting’s summer of sales
While Forest build, Sporting count the cash. Diomandé’s departure is the latest major outgoing in a summer that has turned into a financial windfall for the Lisbon club.
Geovany Quenda’s €50 million switch to Chelsea set the tone. Morten Hjulmand followed for €40 million to Atlético Madrid, with Francisco Trincão moving to Al-Ahli for another €40 million.
Beyond those headline deals, Alisson Santos’ permanent move to Napoli brought in €16.5 million, and Diogo Travassos joined SC Braga for €5.5 million. Add Diomandé’s €40 million to the pile, and Sporting’s strategy is clear: develop, showcase, sell at peak value, and reload.
Forest, meanwhile, are betting that this particular sale from Lisbon becomes the defensive pillar that keeps them in the Premier League and pushes them higher. The fee, the contract length, the role waiting for him — everything points to Diomandé being more than just another signing.
He is being brought in to change the shape of Forest’s future.
