Adama Diomande’s signing on the primary window transfer deadline day in May by Los Angeles Football Club was a big surprise. While the team had some room to make another signing or two, there had been no transfer scuttlebutt about the forward before the news just broke at the deadline.

And looking at his track record, Diomande came to LAFC as something of an unknown commodity. Sure, he had played in the Premier League with Hull City, but unless you are a Hull diehard or a Premier League completist, he probably came to mind as a name rattling around, if at all.

But hey, the Norwegian had played for LAFC manager Bob Bradley at Stabaek, so the ties made sense. But would Diomande offer something new to the MLS team?

Turns out he can, and he has. Diomande joined LAFC after his paperwork was completed and got up to fitness after Carlos Vela departed for World Cup duty, and Marco Ureña was already on the shelf with a broken face, before heading off to the World Cup himself.

Ureña’s injury was initially disruptive to LAFC, because he had been so central to how the attack flowed. While a segment of the fanbase lamented the fact that the Costa Rican couldn’t score, Ureña was among the league leaders in assists when he got hurt, and his selfless play on both ends helped the team and created space for the likes of Vela, Diego Rossi and Latif Blessing to score.

Now, Diomande’s blistering form may mean Ureña will have a huge fight to play in the coming weeks for LAFC. Dio’s form isn’t just good, it’s historic:

Adama Diomande of @LAFC scored the first hat trick in the club's history, in its 16th game.



Diomande has 7 goals in his first 5 #MLS games, the most of any player after 5 games in the league's 23-year history (via @EliasSports)#LAFCvPHI — MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) July 1, 2018

This one came from before Diomande’s hat trick on Saturday against the Philadelphia Union:

3.31 - @LAFC's Adama Diomande has an xG (ex. penalties) of 3.31 in the month of June. Only one other #MLS player has an xG (ex. penalties) of more than 2.68. Suited. — OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) June 30, 2018

Adama Diomande is the sixth player with an @MLS hat trick for an expansion team.



He joins Ola Kamara as the only Norwegian-born players with MLS hat tricks. — Paul Carr (@PaulCarrTM) July 1, 2018

Hat trick! Adama Diomande gets @LAFC's first MLS hat trick.



That leaves @TimbersFC and @MNUFC as the only @MLS franchises without a league hat trick. — Paul Carr (@PaulCarrTM) July 1, 2018

Adama Diomande has 7g in 395 minutes so far. Blowing Josef's mark from last year out of the water. #LAFCvPHI — Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) July 1, 2018

That last one references Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez, who has shattered the curve of prolific scoring in MLS. Martinez has 33 goals in 37 games, now a small tick off the pace he had set, where he was averaging a goal a game or better across more than five games or so. Still that rate is nothing short of spectacular.

Diomande is in that “teeny tiny sample size” zone still, as he’s played all of five league games and has seven goals. Could he keep that pace over 37 games? Seems difficult, to say the least, but if nothing else he’s off to a good start.

Still, if there’s one more tidbit that is a good omen, it’s Diomande’s scoring record with Bradley:

Adama Diomande has now scored 32 goals in 32 games under Bob Bradley.#Stabaek: 25 goals in 26 games#LAFC: 7 goals in 6 games



He's only scored 41 goals in the other 179 games of his career, under coaches other than Bob Bradley.



The Dio Whisperer. #BobTheBuilder #Dio #MLS pic.twitter.com/4msjAQsI6N — Jason Foster (@JogaBonito_USA) July 1, 2018

Maybe the Norwegian can keep the run going indefinitely under Bradley. Stay tuned.

What do you think? Leave a comment below!