Let us talk about this up-and-coming sporting phenom, Mohamed Diomande, born on 30 October 2001 in Ivory Coast. Now at the ripe old age of 23, he finds himself ambling the pitch in the heart of Scotland. While he primarily dabbles in the midfield position for Rangers, he is also spotted doing a jig or two as a central midfielder. And at a solid 6ft (1.83m) and 11st 11lb (75kg) of pure footballing potential, he's a sight to behold. Now, before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, we must give credit where it's due: he wears the number 10 jersey with a certain panache.
Rebelling against the constraints of his home turf, Diomande jumped ship from Right to Dream Academy in Ghana in January 2020, landing in the frosty embrace of FC Nordsjaelland in the Superliga in Denmark. Oh, he got the usual apprentice treatment - throw him in for a few games, see how he does - and racked up a whopping five appearances in his debut season. In the following season, our lad from the Ivory Coast, perhaps fueled by a sudden craving for Danish pastries, pulled up his socks, appeared 11 times, and smacked three beauties into the back of the net. The 2021 – 2022 season followed a similar tune, while the following season, Diomande outdid himself and netted five goals from an astounding 32 games. Consistent, if nothing else.
However, the bright lights of the Premiership in Scotland were calling, and Diomande transferred on loan to Rangers in January 2024. Here, he continued his merry dance on the pitch during the 2023 - 2024 season and volleyed two goals during his 13 league games. Fast-forward to the present day, and our laddie is bringing home the haggis with 27 appearances and three goals in the current season.
Ever the fan of Danish bacon, Diomande eventually made the deal with Rangers permanent in July 2024 for a cool £4.3m, and has been scoring goals and raising eyebrows ever since. He has showcased his talents in the League cup, Scottish Cup, Europa League, and even had a bash at the Champions League Qualifiers. Do appearances get cup sizes now? If so, he's running out of room in his cabinet.
And so, our boy Diomande continues to run the good run, kick the good kick, and score the good goal. All the while leaving his trail of defenders in the dust, battered, weary, and thoroughly bamboozled. Just remember, though - for all his talent, Mohamed Diomande is yet to wear green and white.
