After narrowly avoiding relegation last season in the Premier League, Nottingham Forest has reinforced with Ousmane Diomande, a 22-year-old Ivorian defender, signed for €40 million, £34m, from Portuguese club Sporting CP. Diomande arrived at Lisbon in 2023 and had signed a contract with Sporting in January until 2030, winning two Primeira Liga titles and one Portuguese Cup.
Before that, the footballer from Ivory Coast played for the Danish club Midtjylland, rising from the academy. Internationally, Diomande played for Ivory Coast in the World Cup, being eliminated by Norway in round of 32.
Forest Chief Football Officer George Syrianos said that "Ousmane is a powerful, commanding defender, and arrives here with a winning mentality. He shares the same ambition for success we have, and we are excited to see the impact he can have in a Forest shirt". He reinforces the team alongside Austrian midfielder Xaver Schlager, working for the new coach Oliver Glasner, also from Austria.
