Forest Green Set to Sign Ousmane Diomande for £34m
Forest Green is set to sign Ivory Coast defender Ousmane Diomande for £34m, strengthening their backline ahead of the new season. The 22-year-old centre-back will move to the club from Sporting for €40m (£34.3m).
Diomande is a physically strong and combative defender who ranked among the top performers for tackle success in Portugal's Primeira Liga last season. He also offers pace and is comfortable progressing the ball or playing out from the back. His versatility should make him particularly useful to Forest Green's manager, who is expected to build the team around a back three.
Forest Green already have several candidates competing for places in the back three, including Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, Jair Cunha, and Morato. However, Diomande is seen as a player who can fill an important gap in the squad. The Portuguese side will now lose one of their key defensive players as Forest Green continue preparations for the new season.
