Nottingham Forest complete Ousmane Diomande signing from Sporting CP

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the signing of defender Ousmane Diomande from Portuguese club Sporting CP.

The Athletic reported on Saturday that Forest were set to sign the Ivory Coast international in a deal worth €40million (£34.3m; $46.2m).

Diomande, who had attracted suitors from across Europe, has signed a four-year contract at the City Ground, with the option of a further year.

The 22-year-old is Forest’s second signing of the summer, following the arrival of Xaver Schlager on a free transfer from RB Leipzig. He bolster the defensive options of new head coach Oliver Glasner, who played with three central defenders while at Crystal Palace.

Welcome to Nottingham Forest, Ousmane Diomande!

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) August 11, 2026

“I am very happy to be here,” Diomande said upon signing. “It is a historic club, and it motivates me to join such a club. 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 and all I can to help the team. I cannot wait to meet the supporters at the City Ground and together we can have a good season.”

Diomande joined Sporting in January 2023 from Danish club Midtjylland, going on to make 132 appearances for the Lisbon-based team. He won the Portuguese league title in both the 2023-24 and the 2024-25 seasons.

He was included in Ivory Coast’s 26-man squad for this summer’s World Cup, where they reached the round of 32 and were eliminated by Norway.

Diomande the final part of Glasner’s back three?

Analysis by Nottingham Forest correspondent Paul Taylor

The signing of Diomande is not only a significant statement of intent from Forest, but it could also provide a key piece of Oliver Glasner’s defensive jigsaw.

At Crystal Palace, Glasner had a back three that he viewed as having the perfect blend of attributes.

Marc Guehi had hugely intelligent instincts but was not the strongest in the air, Chris Richards was hugely powerful aerially but lacked a turn of speed, and Maxence Lacroix was both tall and could play out from the back.

Diomande is seen as a player who can add to the qualities of Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic, who have forged an impressive partnership in the centre of defence over the last few years, to create something similar at the City Ground.

Milenkovic is a leader and a dominant defender who is strong aerially, but who is not the fastest. Equally, Murillo’s heading ability is not his biggest asset, but he has pace and acceleration, can play out from the back, carry the ball and is a capable defender.

Diomande would add some of the height and physical presence Glasner believes his squad needs to help them to thrive from set pieces at both ends of the pitch. But he is also confident and capable on the ball.

Forest felt they were close to landing Diomande during their training camp in Portugal but, while it has taken longer than expected to get the final details of the deal agreed, it feels like a pivotal moment in the early stages of Glasner’s tenure.

The Austrian is now equipped to play with the back three he favoured as Palace won the FA Cup, the Community Shield and the Conference League over the last two seasons.