Nottingham Forest have strengthened their backline by signing Côte d'Ivoire international Ousmane Diomande from Sporting in a deal reported to be worth £34m. The 22-year-old centre-back has put pen to paper on a four-year contract, with the club holding the option to extend his stay by a further season.
The move brings an end to Diomande's three-and-a-half-year spell in Portugal, where he made 132 appearances for Sporting after arriving from Danish side FC Midtjylland in January 2023. During his time at the Lisbon club, he was a key figure in back-to-back league title triumphs in 2023-24 and 2024-25, and also featured prominently as Sporting reached the Champions League quarter-finals last season, starting both legs of their eventual defeat to Arsenal. Before his move to Portugal, Diomande began his professional career at Olympic Sport Abobo in Côte d'Ivoire.
On the international stage, Diomande has earned 15 caps for Côte d'Ivoire and was included in the nation's squad for the 2026 World Cup, where he played the full 90 minutes in a group-stage victory over Curaçao.
Forest's new head coach, Oliver Glasner, is understood to have long admired the defender, having previously attempted to bring him to Crystal Palace during his time in charge there. Glasner's preferred 3-5-2 system is expected to see Diomande deployed as part of a three-man defence alongside Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo.
The signing represents Forest's latest move in what has been an active transfer window, following the arrival of Austria midfielder Xaver Schlager on a free transfer in July.
Speaking after finalising the transfer, Diomande expressed his excitement at joining the City Ground outfit. "I am very happy to be here. It is a historic club, and it motivates me to join such a club," he said. "I believe we can achieve very good things this season and I am looking forward to meeting the players and head coach. I will give my best."
Forest's chief football officer, George Syrianos, praised the defender's pedigree despite his relatively young age. "He has fantastic experience for a defender of his age," Syrianos said. "Playing a crucial role in title-winning teams and going into the latter stages of the Champions League puts him in a great position to integrate well at Forest. Ousmane is a powerful, commanding defender, and arrives with a winning mentality."
Diomande's arrival comes amid a busy period of transfer activity across the Premier League. Fulham have also been active in the market, agreeing a reported £30m deal for Southampton midfielder Shea Charles, a fee that would represent a record transfer for a Northern Ireland international. The 22-year-old has signed a five-year deal at Craven Cottage, with an option for an additional year. Charles spoke of his enthusiasm for the move, citing manager Alvaro Arbeloa's vision for the club as a major factor in his decision.
Elsewhere, Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen has been sent out on a season-long loan to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg. The 24-year-old, who joined the Blues from Villarreal in 2024, made 36 appearances for Chelsea, including starting nearly every Conference League fixture last season. He will now spend the 2026-27 campaign in France with Strasbourg, who finished eighth in Ligue 1 last term.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football and BBC Sport.