According to Italian insider Lorenzo Lepore, Norwegian top-division club Brann is close to completing a deal for 20-year-old Senegalese defender Cheikh Mbacke Diop, as negotiations with Lokomotiva are in the final stage. It is also anticipated that Diop could become a Brann player as early as next week. The transfer window in Norway's Eliteserien is open until March 31. Lokomotiva is expected to earn around 2.5 million euros from the sale, which would equal the fee received for Lovro Majer and make it the sixth-largest outgoing transfer in the club's history. Diop, who joined the Croatian club in September 2024, has a contract that runs until June 2029. In the current 2025/2026 season, he has made 21 appearances and scored one goal in the SuperSport HNL. His current Transfermarkt market value is €1.00m.