Ousmane Diomandé Set to Join Nottingham Forest for €40 Million
Ousmane Diomandé is on the verge of becoming Nottingham Forest’s new defensive pillar, with Sporting Portugal and the Premier League club agreeing a €40 million deal, according to transfer specialist David Ornstein of The Athletic.
The 22-year-old centre-back is scheduled to fly to England as early as Saturday for his medical. If everything checks out, he will sign a five-year contract and anchor a Forest back line that is being rebuilt with intent rather than hope.
From bargain buy to €40m sale
Sporting only brought Diomandé to Lisbon in January 2023, prising him from FC Midtjylland for a fee between €7.5 million and €12.5 million. The Danish club were shrewd enough to secure a 20 per cent sell-on clause, and they are now about to be rewarded handsomely.
Sporting moved quickly earlier this year to protect their asset, tying Diomandé down to a new deal running to mid-2030 and inserting an €80 million release clause. On paper, he was locked away. In practice, €40 million has proved enough to open the door.
Even with Midtjylland’s slice, Sporting are staring at a huge profit on a defender they developed for only a season and a half. For a club that has turned the transfer market into an art form this summer, Diomandé is yet another lucrative brushstroke.
Forest’s new defensive core
Forest are not buying potential for the sake of it. They are buying profile. At 1.90 metres tall, right-footed and physically imposing, Diomandé fits the mould of a modern centre-back who can dominate duels and still play.
He is expected to slot into a back three alongside Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo dos Santos, giving Forest a blend of size, aggression and ball-playing ability. It is a clear tactical statement: Forest want to build from a solid, athletic base rather than firefight their way through another season.
There is a familiar face waiting for him in the Midlands. Diomandé will link up with compatriot Ibrahim Sangaré, the former PSV midfielder who already knows the demands and rhythm of English football. That kind of dressing-room connection matters when a 22-year-old is stepping into a new league, a new culture and a new level of scrutiny.
A busy summer at the City Ground
This is not a one-off splash from Forest. The Diomandé deal continues a summer of targeted reinforcement.
They have already added Xaver Schlager on a free transfer from RB Leipzig, a holding midfielder with the engine and discipline to shield the defence. Ahead of him, Forest spent €20 million on attacking midfielder Gustavo Sá from FC Famalicão, a creative piece to unlock games rather than simply survive them.
Now comes the centre-back to knit it all together. A spine is forming: Schlager in front, Diomandé behind, Sá tasked with turning possession into chances. Forest are not just collecting names; they are assembling a structure.
Sporting’s summer of cash
On the other side of the deal, Sporting’s accounts are swelling at remarkable speed.
Diomandé’s sale is their fourth major windfall of the window. Geovany Quenda has already gone to Chelsea for €50 million. Morten Hjulmand has joined Atlético Madrid for €40 million. Francisco Trincão has departed for Al-Ahli in another €40 million move.
Those headline transfers are supported by further business. Alisson Santos’ permanent switch to Napoli brought in €16.5 million, while Diogo Travassos’ move to SC Braga added another €5.5 million.
One club is cashing in and reloading. The other is gambling that €40 million on a 22-year-old defender is money spent on stability, not just promise.
If Diomandé grows into the role Forest have carved out for him, this won’t be remembered as a bold punt. It will be the moment their back line finally grew up.
