Ousmane Diakité’s new three-year deal means he can continue his steady progression within the Baggies’ ranks.
The midfield destroyer was pivotal to Albion’s efforts in surviving Sky Bet Championship relegation in 2025/26 and will have his intentions firmly fixed on improving their league standing next season.
When Diakité first walked through the door, having signed from Austrian side TSV Hartberg in the summer of 2024, it was clear the defensive midfielder had plenty of attributes to benefit his new club in the long run.
The 2024/25 season saw ‘Oussie’ confined to the periphery of the Albion squad; he could only muster nine league starts and was sometimes forced to play out of position.
But even during turbulent spells and in limited minutes, Diakité was able to show his qualities, which soon became apparent in the following season across almost double the starts (26).
Standing at a commanding 6ft 2in, it would be amiss to start without mentioning the Mali international’s ability in the air.
Compared to the Championship’s other defensive midfielders, Diakité ranks within the top eight per cent for aerial duels won per 90 minutes played (2.36) - and possesses an assertive win rate too, at 58.3 per cent - colossal.
Though his one Albion goal across the course of two years, a headed strike on Boxing Day of 2025 against Bristol City, may not suggest it, the 25-year-old is a consistent threat from attacking set-pieces and is the best defensive midfielder in the division for headed shots attempted per 90 minutes played (0.56).
Imperious in the air and dominant on the floor too, the 25-year-old has a knack for snuffing out opposition breaks with real authority.
Last season, Diakité made 6.25 ball recoveries per 90 minutes played, placing him within the top 10 per cent of the league’s holding midfielders in 2025/26.
Individually, his defensive numbers come out superbly, but Albion are also a better side with Oussie in it.
When in the team, the Baggies kept a clean sheet in just under one out of every three matches, ensuring he sits within the top five per cent of defensive midfielders - and paired with an xGA (expected goals against) value of just over one per 90 - you can truly understand his place as a vital cog in the Albion machine.
A particular performance of note came against Preston North End, when James Morrison’s men rallied together amidst challenging circumstances to produce a battling showing and a 2-0 victory at Deepdale.
Diakité was essential to their efforts in Lancashire alongside partner Alex Mowatt. The pair complemented each other well.
The Malian, atypical to his showings across the course of the campaign, made eight ball recoveries - the most of any outfield player in the match, and no player could manage more than his three interceptions.
As he did across the course of the campaign, where he ranked within the top 18 per cent for successful passes (86.3%), Oussie completed the highest amount of accurate passes when compared to his colleagues in navy-blue-and-white that day.
His Preston performance wasn’t an isolatory one, either. Diakité became an integral part of Morrison’s preferred XI towards the end of the campaign, and he’ll aim to maintain regular minutes - along with more promising development - throughout his three-year deal.
