Nottingham Forest are nearing an agreement to sign Ousmane Diomande, the 22-year-old defender from Sporting Lisbon, as part of a summer recruitment drive led by new head coach Oliver Glasner. The clubs and the player’s representatives are reportedly negotiating a transfer fee around £30 million to finalize the deal.

Diomande, an Ivory Coast international, joined Sporting from Danish club Midtjylland in 2023 and has since established himself as a key figure in the Portuguese side’s defence. His anticipated departure would represent a significant investment for Forest as Glasner aims to bolster the team’s central defensive options following the exit of Elliot Anderson.

This transfer pursuit comes amid broader efforts to reshape Forest’s squad after Glasner replaced Vitor Pereira at the City Ground. Midfielder Xaver Schlager, 28, an Austrian international, is also close to joining the club, with the player set to travel to Forest’s training base in the Algarve for a medical examination. Additionally, Forest are targeting Tottenham Hotspur’s midfielder Lucas Bergvall and are engaged in contract renewal talks with existing players Neco Williams and Ibrahima Sangaré.

Glasner underscored the importance of strategic recruitment at his recent unveiling, emphasizing the challenges Forest face in retaining key players amid competitive football markets. “It is important for any club and manager to keep your best players. Nobody likes to lose your top players. It is part of the game. We are not at the top of the food chain. We have to accept it. But it will provide some chances at the club. The money is ready to be invested. We have to find the right players,” he stated.

Forest’s ongoing activity in the transfer market reflects Glasner’s intent to build a squad capable of improving on last season’s performance and securing greater stability in the Premier League. The acquisitions of Diomande and Schlager would mark significant steps in that direction as the club prepares for the upcoming campaign.