Bolton Wanderers have reportedly made an opening offer for Oumar Diakité, the Ivory Coast international previously linked with a move to Lincoln City.
The 22-year-old emerged as a potential City target earlier in the transfer window, with reports suggesting the Imps were among the clubs considering a move for the Stade de Reims forward.
However, that interest waned after the player suggested he did not want a Championship move, and Schalke were thought to be poised to take him to Germany. Bolton are the latest club to make their intentions clear, while Queens Park Rangers and Preston North End have also been credited with an interest. According to Africafoot, Bolton submitted an initial offer for Diakité on Thursday morning.
Diakité is back with Reims after spending last season on loan at Cercle Brugge, where he scored seven goals across 27 appearances. The Belgian club had an option to make the move permanent, but the striker has instead returned to France. His position at Reims appears increasingly clear. Diakité is under contract until the summer of 2028, but he is reportedly not part of their plans and has been told that he can find another club before the transfer window closes.
A separate report from France claims he has been moved into the Reims reserve side while his future is resolved. He featured as they recorded a 6-0 victory over La Neuvillette Jamin in Regional 1, alongside two other players deemed surplus to requirements.
That situation could encourage interested clubs, although Reims will still expect a suitable agreement for a player who has two years remaining on his contract. Reports linking City with Diakité earlier in the summer suggested a fee of around €3 million could be required, and my understanding is he will command a five-figure weekly salary wherever he goes.
Alongside the Championship interest, Amedspor, Basel and clubs in Turkey have also been mentioned as possible destinations. Schalke 04 had previously been linked, although that route is now said to have receded.
Diakité has already built an impressive international record, earning 31 caps and scoring six goals for Ivory Coast. He was part of the squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations and appeared at the 2026 World Cup.
It’s unlikely that Diakité remains on the Imps’ radar, but Bolton’s reported offer may force the other interested clubs to make a decision quickly. Reims want a departure, the player is understood to favour a move to England, and his future could now be settled during the closing days of the window.