Nottingham Forest have signed Ivory Coast defender Ousmane Diomande from Sporting on a four-year deal. <\/p>\n
Forest will pay a fixed fee of around \u00a334.3m (\u20ac40m) for the 22-year-old centre-back after weeks of negotiations.<\/p>\n
Head coach Oliver Glasner drove the club’s interest in Diomande after trying to sign him at his former side Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n
Diomande has spent the last four seasons at Sporting, playing 132 times, scoring seven goals and winning the Primeira Liga twice.<\/p>\n
He helped Sporting reach the Champions League knockout stages and win a domestic double in the 2024\/25 season, while being part of the Ivory Coast squad that won the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in eight years.<\/p>\n
Diomande has earned 15 caps for his country and made one appearance at this summer’s World Cup.<\/p>\n
On signing for Forest, Diomande said: “I am very happy to be here. 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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Chief football officer George Syrianos added: “We have been very clear on the profile of player we want to add to the squad, so we are excited to welcome Ousmane to the club.<\/p>\n
“He has fantastic experience for a defender of his age. 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 here at Forest.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
In<\/p>\n