Ousmane Diomande: Leeds target started on 'sandy pitch' and became Ruben Amorim star

Ousmane Diomande comes from humble beginnings in the Ivory Coast, where the Leeds United-linked star began his footballing love affair on a "small sandy pitch."

One of the great things about football is the unique and often inspiring stories that players have on their route to stardom.

Some are snapped up by top academies at an early age, others come up the hard way.

Diomande joined his first club, Ivorian side Olympic Sport Abobo FC in 2014 aged just 10, a million miles away from the bright lights of top European football.

His big break eventually came in January 2020, when he signed for Danish giants FC Midtjylland, before eventually moving to Sporting CP three years later.

Fast-forward to the present day, and the 22-year-old defender looks set for the biggest move of his career so far this summer; one that could bring him to Leeds United.

Olympic Sport Abobo knew Ousmane Diomande was special

Before there was links to Leeds, and even the likes of Arsenal and Man City previously, Diomande was just a young boy playing on a school field in his home country of the Ivory Coast.

The defender was spotted playing at a training camp by Olympic Sport Abobo when he was just 10-years old, and was subsequently signed up.

He would spent the next eight years developing through their ranks, and even played a part in the first-team's promotion to the Ivorian third-tier.

Cut to him making his international debut for the Ivory Coast in September 2023, and Olympic Sport Abobo shared in his celebrations with a touching message.

As quoted via a report from the Daily Mail at the time of said international debut, his first club said it provided them with: "Great joy and pride to see a kid who has spent eight years on the small sandy pitch at EPP Habitat school," turn out for his nation.

Diomande travelled back to where it all began for him in the summer of 2023, as he went out of his way to help coach some of Olympic Sport Abobo's youngsters.

When it came time for him to sign for Sporting CP, Olympic Sport Abobo's president, Amza Gamal, made a big prediction for Diomande's future.

"Sporting is a great European club that plays good football. I'm convinced that Diomande will continue to develop and will become one of the best central defenders in the world," he said via the aforementioned report.

"He's very well educated and has his head on straight. He wanted to join a project that would allow him to showcase his enormous talent."

What did Amorim say about Diomande's abilities?

Needless to say given the level of transfer interest in him this summer, but Diomande has shined in Portugal with Sporting CP ever since his move there.

The majority of his time with them has been spent playing under Amorim, where he and Diomande won Liga Portugal title together in 2023-24.

Speaking previously, Amorim waxed lyrical of the defender whilst he was in charge there, offering a glimpse into what he feels Diomande does best.

"Diomande plays with both feet, and is very physically strong," the former Man United boss said.

"He is a very talented player and most people don't know how many clubs were after him.

"The truth is that we managed to get him because we took a risk by telling the kids that they're coming to play for the first-team…he's got a lot of scope for progression."

Now 22 and having proven himself to be a top player at Liga Portugal level, Diomande could be ready to try his hand in the Premier League.

But, with the trajectory he's on, all those who previously tipped him for the top over the years have been proven absolutely right.

Diomande's story is an amazing one, but it's clear that he's still got plenty more chapters to write, and the setting for those could be Elland Road.

Leeds will have to break the bank, but it looks certainly worth it.