The 'Determined Diomande', a nickname this lad somehow garnered, he's certainly an interesting one, isn't he? Born on the 30th of October 2001 in the far-off Ivory Coast, Diomande has had quite the journey in football. With a towering stature standing at 6ft (1.83m for all you metric lovers) and a weight of 11st 11lb (or 75kg, again for the unimperial-inclined), it's no wonder this lad plays as a central midfielder. Even if we're all honest that numbers never told the full story of a player's capabilities, Diomande's choice of sporting the number 10 jersey still gives one a sense of audacity. And bless his cotton socks, he's managed to secure a place in the Ivory Coast national team too.
In the winter months of 2020, our dear 'Determined Diomande' found himself a new home, moving from the warm sands of the Ghana First Division's Right to Dream Academy to the colder climes of FC Nordsjaelland in the Danish Superliga. His tenure saw a steady, if pedestrian, progression, with five league appearances initially, then 11 with three goals, followed by a more impressive 25 appearances with another three goals, before one might argue he peaked in his final full season with 32 appearances and five goals.
Rangers in Scotland decided to take a punt on the lad in January 2024, initially offering a wee Scottish vacation in the form of a loan. Only 13 league appearances later, apparently the lad had done enough to merit a full transfer for a tidy sum of £4.3m in July 2024. His statistics at Rangers have been, shall we say, remarkably average. An initial 13 appearances with two goals, followed by 36 appearances with four goals, and 18 current season appearances with a single goal, as well as a smattering of starts and substitute appearances across various competitions.
All in all, 'Determined' Diomande has carved out quite the career for himself, albeit one more marked by mediocrity than the meteoric rise some would have you believe.
