Nottingham Forest’s €40m move for Ousmane Diomande is back on and advancing rapidly, closing the door on any late Liverpool interest.
Fabrizio Romano reported that the Tricky Trees are “moving to final stages” of talks with Sporting Lisbon over a deal worth around €40m (£34.2m). Subsequent updates confirmed the agreement is essentially done: Diomande is set to travel for his medical, with the fixed fee at €40m after earlier hiccups in negotiations.
Earlier reports had suggested the collapse of Forest’s talks could open a window for Liverpool. That opportunity has now vanished. At a price under £35m for a 22-year-old Ivorian international with significant experience and upside, it looked like smart business on paper. Liverpool, however, appear to have read the situation correctly by pivoting elsewhere.
Liverpool’s defensive reality check
The Reds’ backline has been under pressure all summer. Injuries and departures have left Andoni Iraola short of reliable options at centre-back and right-back. Leaving it this late to address obvious needs is far from ideal, and the window so far has drawn fair criticism for its reactive feel.
Yet the response has been pragmatic. A season-long loan for Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo, with a reported €55m option to buy and Liverpool covering his wages, offers an experienced, high-level solution without a major upfront outlay. Araujo can also cover at right-back if required.
With the Bradley Barcola situation still unresolved and PSG demanding a huge fee, protecting the budget while strengthening the defence makes sense. Araujo is not a long-term “project” signing in the same way Diomande would have been, but he is a proven performer arriving ready to contribute immediately.
Why Araujo edges it on paper
Diomande’s potential is clear: pace, physicality, ball-playing ability and a reasonable price tag. Concerns about his consistency and adaptation from the Primeira Liga were always present, though. Araujo arrives from a higher standard of football and brings superior duel-winning and aerial dominance.
Here’s a snapshot of their 2025/26 league numbers (per 90, via FotMob):
| Stat | Ousmane Diomande | Ronald Araujo |
|---|---|---|
| Successful passes | 68.77 | 65.4 |
| Pass completion % | 93.1% | 92% |
| Chances created | 0.21 | 0.08 (big chances) |
| Duels won % | 48.6% | 63% |
| Aerial duels won % | 57.4% | 67.2% |
| Times dribbled past | 0.35 | 0.08 |
Araujo’s clear advantages in physical contests and defensive solidity stand out. Combined with the near-zero transfer fee (wages aside), he represents a lower-risk, higher-floor option for a side that needs reliability right now.
It’s a shame Liverpool won’t get the chance to test the waters on Diomande. At 22 and available for a modest fee, he had genuine long-term appeal. But with Araujo on the verge of arriving and the need for immediate reinforcements pressing, the focus has rightly shifted. Whether this late defensive patchwork proves sufficient remains to be seen, but the Araujo deal at least plugs the most urgent holes without breaking the bank.
