Forest sign Sporting's Ivory Coast defender Diomande

What the report says

Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of Ivory Coast defender Ousmane Diomande from Sporting, with BBC Sport reporting the transfer fee as £34m. The 22-year-old has agreed a four-year contract, and Forest also hold an option to extend his stay by another year. The move adds a highly rated centre-back to Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad as the club continues to strengthen for the new season.

Diomande said he was pleased to join what he described as a historic club and said he was motivated by the chance to be part of Forest’s project. He added that he wants to help the team achieve strong results this season and is looking forward to linking up with his new teammates and head coach. Those remarks were reported by BBC Sport in its article on the transfer.

Diomande arrives after a productive spell in Portugal, where he made 132 first-team appearances for Sporting. He has also earned 15 caps for Ivory Coast. BBC Sport noted that he featured for his country at the 2026 World Cup, reflecting his growing international profile. The signing matters for Forest because it represents a significant investment in defensive reinforcements and signals ambition ahead of the Premier League campaign.