This week's Blood Red column assesses Liverpool's interest in £100m-rated RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, highlighting a key advantage the Reds hold over Paris Saint-Germain.
Red Bull Connection
The path from the Red Bull stable to Liverpool has been well trodden over the last decade. From Sadio Mane, Naby Keita and Takumi Minamino, through to Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai, the Reds have leaned heavily - and spent big - on talents shaped by the Red Bull operation. The energy drinks behemoth is not particularly popular in German football circles, with traditional match-goers believing their clubs lack heritage and character. To many observers, the Red Bull model of adding clubs to their catalogue of 'franchises' flies in the face of teams being seen as extensions of their communities. It's a fair complaint and one that could spark a healthy debate around ownership in football. From Liverpool's perspective, however, Red Bull is becoming an increasingly important ally in European football's arms race.
Negotiations with Leipzig
While their long-standing relationship has helped grease the wheels for some sizable deals in recent years, Leipzig continue to drive a hard bargain over the latest star-in-the-making, Yan Diomande. Liverpool have made it clear they are willing to commit to a package worth up to an eye-watering €100m (£86.6m), but the Bundesliga side are still insistent they won't sell. That being said, it's no surprise to learn Leipzig may yield if the offer reaches as high as €130m (£112m). The early jousting is reminiscent of the negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen last summer for Florian Wirtz. Back then, Leverkusen relented and sold their crown jewel for £116m after weeks of talks between Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and his German counterpart, Simon Rolfes. With a £26m gap between what Liverpool say they are prepared to pay and what Leipzig will accept, supporters hoping for a quick resolution might be left frustrated. Patience will now be the watchword for fans who have scoured every highlight video to see exactly what the electric Ivory Coast winger is all about.
Other Targets
Liverpool are privately insisting other targets are being assessed if they are forced to walk away, including Yankuba Minteh of Brighton, but when figures that would make Diomande one of the most expensive signings of all time are being bandied about, a decision to call off negotiations feels like a last resort. Anyone tuning into the World Cup this past week will have been left in no doubt as to why Diomande is so highly regarded. A player of the match performance saw him tear at the Ecuador defence time and again as Ivory Coast kicked off their campaign with a 1-0 win. A hat-trick, scored in a 6-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on December 6, made him the youngest player in 60 years of Germany's top division to net three goals in the same game, and his reputation has soared ever since. He has become the breakout star of the Bundesliga this season, easing Leipzig's transition to a new-look attack following sales of Benjamin Sesko, Xavi Simons and Luis Openda.
Red Bull CEO's Stance
Despite the obvious potential for profit, Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff gave his opinion earlier this year that Leipzig should not be looking to sell the winger for any fee this summer. "If I were managing director of sport, I wouldn't sell this young player," Mintzlaff told Sky Sport Germany. "No matter what price is called. But we have to have the claim that a player, even if he delivers outstanding performances here, does not leave us after just one year. A few years ago, we were in seventh place in the UEFA five-year ranking. The goal is to get back there."
Klopp's Role
Quite how Jurgen Klopp, Red Bull's head of global soccer, factors into this particular equation remains an interesting debate point. The Reds legend will be better placed than anyone in world football to talk up the trappings of Anfield stardom, should Diomande reach out for advice. How much the 2019 Champions League-winning boss will be permitted to do that as a high-ranking Red Bull executive, however, is unclear, even if Klopp has rarely towed any party line he didn't agree with.
PSG Competition
The lurking presence of European champions Paris Saint-Germain also complicates matters. Liverpool, though, would almost certainly not have held talks for this long behind the scenes, or made it known how high they are willing to bid, without assurances from Diomande and his Roc Nation Sports camp that he would at least be keen to discuss terms. The prospect of being 'Mohamed Salah's replacement' at Liverpool might also appeal to an uber ambitious star of African football. That could yet be the golden ticket for Hughes and Andoni Iraola given the overwhelming competition for places at PSG. The Champions League holders, for all their riches, cannot offer similar.
The game is afoot and as Diomande gets set for World Cup action once more, against Florian Wirtz's Germany, on Saturday, the Liverpool target may well be poised to showcase exactly what all the fuss is about.
