Former Lincoln City target Oumar Diakité is reportedly in advanced negotiations over a permanent move to newly promoted Bundesliga side Schalke 04.
The Imps attempted to bring the Ivory Coast international to Sincil Bank earlier this summer, with a deal understood to have been close at one stage. However, Diakité indicated that he would prefer to continue his career in Belgium rather than move to the Championship, leaving Lincoln to pursue other attacking options.
His destination may now be Germany rather than Belgium. According to the latest reports, Schalke have accelerated discussions with the player’s representatives and negotiations over a permanent transfer are at an advanced stage.
FC Basel had previously appeared well placed to secure his signature, while Werder Bremen were also credited with an interest. However, the latter are said to have withdrawn for financial reasons, leaving Schalke at the front of the queue as they prepare for their return to the Bundesliga.
The situation is not necessarily settled. Several unnamed Championship clubs are reportedly monitoring developments and could enter negotiations should an opportunity arise. That is particularly interesting given Diakité’s reluctance to accept a move to England when Lincoln were pushing for an agreement.
It may be that promotion-chasing clubs with larger budgets believe they can change his mind, or that the player’s position has softened as the summer has progressed. Either way, the Championship interest adds another layer to a transfer story Lincoln were once very much involved in, and may even open the door once more.
Diakité spent last season on loan at Cercle Brugge, scoring seven times in 25 league appearances. The 22-year-old remains contracted to Stade de Reims and has also scored six goals in 23 senior appearances for the Ivory Coast, having been part of their Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad in 2024.
Schalke now appear to offer the sort of move Diakité was waiting for. They secured promotion back to Germany’s top flight last season and can provide both Bundesliga football and the opportunity to represent one of the country’s biggest clubs.
Unless one of the interested Championship sides can persuade him to reconsider England, Diakité’s future increasingly looks likely to lie in Gelsenkirchen.
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