Nottingham Forest Close to Finalizing Ousmane Diomande Transfer

Nottingham Forest have dragged the Ousmane Diomande deal back from the brink – and this time it looks like they intend to finish the job.

Fabrizio Romano reports that Forest are “moving to final stages” of negotiations with Sporting Lisbon over a €40m (£34.2m) transfer for the 22-year-old centre-back, with all parties confident an agreement will be struck after weeks of stalling. The move, once thought to be slipping away, is now described as “well underway” and close.

For a player of Diomande’s profile to be available for under £35m had already raised eyebrows when Forest appeared to cool their interest. The Ivorian has been widely viewed as one of the standout defensive prospects in the Primeira Liga, and the price tag reflected both his potential and Sporting’s willingness to cash in at the right number.

That apparent hesitation from Forest briefly opened the door in the minds of some Liverpool supporters. The suggestion was that the collapse in talks could benefit Liverpool, who have been linked with defensive reinforcements all summer. Instead, Forest have returned to the table and pushed the deal back towards completion.

At Anfield, the picture is more complicated. With the backline creaking and long-standing needs at right-back and centre-back still not fully addressed, Liverpool’s recruitment team find themselves juggling priorities and finances. The club have been exploring a loan move for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, a short-term solution that could cover both positions if required.

The Diomande situation only sharpens the contrast. On the one hand, a 22-year-old with clear upside at a reasonable fee. On the other, a proven performer from La Liga who could arrive on a season-long loan without an obligation to buy, easing immediate pressure on the budget at a time when Liverpool are also wrestling with the cost of a potential deal for Bradley Barcola, with PSG holding out for a huge offer.

The numbers underline why Liverpool view Araujo as the more reliable plug-and-play option for Andoni Iraola.

Per 90 minutes in the 2025/26 season, Diomande completed 68.77 successful passes at a 93.1% success rate and produced 0.21 chances created in the Primeira Liga. Araujo, operating in La Liga, recorded 65.4 successful passes with a 92% success rate and 0.08 big chances created. On the ball, they are comparable.

The real separation comes in the duels.

Diomande won 48.6% of his duels and 57.4% of his aerial battles. Araujo, by contrast, dominated 63% of his duels and 67.2% of his aerial contests. Diomande was dribbled past 0.35 times per 90; Araujo just 0.08. The Uruguayan’s profile is that of a defender who relishes contact, wins his battles and rarely gets beaten – traits that translate quickly, especially coming from a higher-intensity league.

For Liverpool, that matters. They need someone Iraola can trust from the first whistle of the new campaign, not a long-term project who might require a season to adapt. Araujo’s experience in the Spanish top flight, combined with the financial structure of a loan, makes him a pragmatic fix at a moment when every pound is being stretched.

Forest, by contrast, are leaning into upside. Diomande is a bet on what he can become rather than what he already is. At €40m, it is a statement that they are prepared to invest heavily in a defender they believe can anchor their backline for years.

Two clubs, two very different calculations. One chooses the long road with a 22-year-old from Portugal. The other may yet gamble that a year of Araujo is enough to keep their own defensive problems from boiling over.