Nottingham Forest closing in on Ousmane Diomande as final transfer detail delays deal

Nottingham Forest are closing in on the signing of Ousmane Diomande, but discussions over the structure of performance-related bonuses are delaying the completion of the deal with Sporting CP.

The Ivory Coast international is expected to become one of Forest's marquee additions this summer, with Oliver Glasner having personally pushed for the club to sign the highly-rated centre-back.

While an agreement is close, the two clubs are still negotiating the final financial details.

Sporting and Nottingham Forest have agreed on the framework of a deal worth around €40 million, with an additional €3-5 million in performance-related bonuses.

However, the Portuguese club want those bonus payments to be triggered over a shorter timeframe than the structure currently proposed by Forest.

That remains the final obstacle before the transfer can be completed.

Despite the transfer nearing completion, Sporting have instructed Diomande to report for first-team duty ahead of their friendly against Monaco.

The defender had been expected to miss the fixture as negotiations entered their final stages, but the Portuguese club are unwilling to make exceptions until the agreement is officially signed.

Unless the remaining details are resolved before kick-off, Diomande will continue to train with Sporting.

Sporting initially valued the 22-year-old at €50 million, but Nottingham Forest successfully negotiated the price down to approximately €40 million plus bonuses.

The Portuguese side are now standing firm over the payment schedule, determined to secure terms that suit their financial expectations.

With the overall transfer fee largely agreed, discussions are focused solely on how the add-ons will be paid.

Despite the final sticking point, there remains confidence that Diomande will complete his move to the City Ground.

Nottingham Forest have the financial resources to conclude the transfer following player sales earlier this summer, while Sporting also expect the defender to leave before the transfer window closes.

The remaining negotiations are viewed as the final step before the deal receives the green light.

Nottingham Forest and Sporting CP are expected to continue talks over the payment structure, with both clubs optimistic that the remaining details can be resolved quickly. Once that happens, Ousmane Diomande is expected to complete his move to the Premier League.