Transfer roundup: Nottingham Forest seal £34m deal for Sporting’s Diomande

Nottingham Forest have signed Côte d’Ivoire defender Ousmane Diomande from Sporting for an undisclosed fee, reported to be £34.2m.

The 22-year-old centre-half, who featured in the Côte d’Ivoire’s World Cup squad, has agreed a four-year deal with Forest, who have an option for a further year.

Forest’s chief football officer, George Syrianos, said: “He has fantastic experience for a defender of his age. Playing a crucial role in title winning teams and going into the latter stages of the Champions League puts him in a great position to integrate well here at Forest.”

Diomande began his professional career in Denmark with FC Midtjylland and after joining Sporting in January 2023 he made 132 appearances for the Portuguese club in all competitions.

He played a key role in Sporting’s run in the Champions League last season, starting both legs in their quarter-final defeat by Arsenal, and also played the full 90 minutes in Côte d’Ivoire’s World Cup group win against Curaçao.

Fulham have signed midfielder Shea Charles from Southampton for a reported £30m fee, which would be a record deal for a Northern Ireland international. Charles, 22, has agreed a five-year contract, with a club option to extend by a further 12 months.

“It’s a great club, with a really good vision – the manager [Alvaro Arbeloa] explained that to me. To be here is a massive privilege,” Charles said. “I hope to really kickstart my Premier League career. At such a good club as well, it’s perfect for me, and hopefully perfect for the fans as well.”

Filip Jorgensen has joined Strasbourg on a season-long loan from Chelsea. The 24-year-old goalkeeper arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2024 from Villarreal and has made 36 appearances for the Blues.

Jorgensen started all but one of Chelsea’s games in the Conference League last year and featured 12 times in all competitions. He will now spend the 2026-27 campaign with Strasbourg, who finished eighth in Ligue 1 last season.

Click here to read article