Reported Lincoln City transfer target Oumar Diakité has been told he can leave Stade de Reims, but don’t get too excited. The Ivory Coast international has already stated the Championship was not his preferred option.
The World Cup player emerged as an ambitious target for the Imps last week, with reports in France suggesting City had submitted an offer worth around €3 million, including potential bonuses.
However, hopes of seeing Diakité move to Sincil Bank quickly faded. Reports subsequently claimed the 22-year-old wanted to remain in Belgium, where Royal Antwerp and Club Brugge were both credited with an interest following his loan spell with Cercle Brugge.
That appeared to bring Lincoln’s pursuit to an end, but Diakité’s future remains unresolved after Reims confirmed they are actively looking to move him on.
General manager Mathieu Lacour named the forward alongside Reda Khadra, Amine Salama and Yohan Demoncy when discussing the departures the French club still hope to complete.
“Other departures still need to be made, notably concerning Reda Khadra, Amine Salama, Yohan Demoncy and Oumar Diakité.”
The comments underline that Diakité is not part of Reims’ plans for the coming campaign. They do not, however, suggest that Lincoln have revived their interest or that the player has reconsidered his apparent reluctance to play in the Championship.
Diakité spent the 2025/26 season on loan with Cercle Brugge, scoring seven times in the Belgian top flight. His performances attracted attention from elsewhere in the country, with Belgium reportedly remaining his preferred destination.
He joined Reims from the Red Bull system after previously representing FC Liefering, where he scored 12 goals in 35 appearances. Diakité has since made more than 50 appearances for the French club, scoring nine times. The forward is also a regular Ivory Coast international and was part of the squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024. He scored the extra-time winner against Mali in the quarter-finals before Ivory Coast went on to lift the trophy.
Lincoln’s reported interest was a sign of the level of player the club were considering after promotion to the Championship. A deal worth several million euros would have represented one of the biggest transfers in City’s history. However, Diakité’s reported preference for Belgium always made a move to the Imps unlikely. Reims may now be publicly inviting offers, but there is currently nothing to suggest Lincoln are preparing to return to the negotiating table.
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