Nottingham Forest are on the verge of pulling off one of the most impressive pieces of business in the Premier League this summer, and it comes at Liverpool’s expense. The City Ground club is closing in on Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande, a player long admired by Liverpool’s recruitment team, and the deal appears to be edging toward completion at a price that looks like an absolute bargain given his release clause.
How the Deal Is Taking Shape
Forest have submitted a proposal worth around forty million euros, roughly thirty-four million pounds including add-ons, for the Ivory Coast international. That figure is striking when you consider Diomande’s contract at Sporting carries an eighty million euro release clause, meaning Forest are working toward a fee less than half of what the release clause demands.
Reports from Fabrizio Romano indicate negotiations are underway both with Sporting and with the player’s camp, and Forest are described as optimistic about getting the agreement over the line. Other reporting has suggested Sporting are holding out for a minimum fixed fee closer to forty million euros before they will let their prized centre-back leave, which lines up neatly with what Forest have already put on the table.
Why Glasner Wants Him So Badly
New Forest head coach Oliver Glasner has a history with this pursuit. He previously tried to sign Diomande while in charge at Crystal Palace but could never convince Sporting to lower their asking price. Now installed at Nottingham Forest, Glasner has revived his interest immediately, and it fits neatly with his tactical priorities. He wants to play with a back three, and Diomande, at six foot three with genuine pace and composure on the ball, slots in perfectly on the right side of that system. Forest already have plenty of options at centre-back, but none combine size, athleticism, and top-level European pedigree quite like the twenty-two-year-old they are chasing.
The Player Himself
Diomande has quietly built an outstanding résumé since joining Sporting from Danish club Midtjylland. He has made well over a hundred appearances in Lisbon, helped the club win league titles and a domestic cup, and was part of the Ivory Coast squad that lifted the Africa Cup of Nations. He also featured for his country at this summer’s World Cup, where the Ivory Coast reached the last thirty-two. Sporting’s own head coach has previously described him as superb, which only makes his potential departure at a discounted fee more remarkable.
Liverpool Left Watching From the Sidelines
For Liverpool, this stings. Sources close to the club have long indicated that their recruitment staff rated Diomande highly, and he has been mentioned in connection with Anfield for what feels like years at this point. With Liverpool still searching for defensive reinforcements this summer, watching a well-regarded, ready-made centre-back slip away to a rival for a fraction of his valuation is the kind of transfer window subplot that will sting well into the new season. Forest, meanwhile, look increasingly likely to have pulled off one of the summer’s smartest signings, and Premier League defenders everywhere should be paying close attention.
