Portuguese center-back Diomande has officially joined Nottingham Forest for a transfer fee of £34 million.

Nottingham Forest announced on Tuesday the formal signing of Sporting Lisbon centre-back Ousmane Diomande. The two sides agreed on a five-year contract with an option to extend for another year.

Multiple sources have confirmed that Diomande's transfer fee is approximately £34 million. He will wear the number 2 jersey for Nottingham Forest, further enriching Oliver Glasner's options in defense.

The 22-year-old Diomande came through the Abobo youth academy and transferred from Midtjylland to Sporting CP in January 2023 for €12.5 million. To date, he has made 132 appearances for Sporting CP, scoring 7 goals and providing 3 assists, winning 2 Portuguese league titles and 1 Portuguese Cup with the team.

Diomande has also made 17 appearances for Ivory Coast, including two Africa Cup of Nations (2023, 2025) and one World Cup (2026). His greatest achievement to date is undoubtedly winning the Africa Cup of Nations with the team in early 2024.

After completing the signing, Diomande said: "I am very happy. Nottingham Forest is a club with a long history, and I am very motivated to be a part of it. I believe we will achieve great results this season, and I can't wait to meet the manager and my teammates."

“I will do my best to help the team. I am very much looking forward to meeting the fans at the City Stadium, and I hope we can have a great season together.”

Nottingham Forest's director of football, George Sirianos, added: "We have always been clear about what type of players we want to bring in, so we are very happy to welcome Osman."

"For a 22-year-old defender, he already has a wealth of practical experience. He has played an important role in championship teams and has participated in the Champions League knockout stages, which provides a good foundation for him to integrate into Nottingham Forest."

“Osman is a strong and dominant defender who came to Nottingham Forest with an unwavering belief in victory. He is just as eager to succeed as we are, and we are very much looking forward to seeing what kind of impact he will have in the Forest jersey.”

Image source: Internet/Nottingham Forest official website