Liverpool are ready to make Yan Diomande one of the most expensive players in their history, with a €100m package now set aside for the RB Leipzig star. On a dramatic day of transfer activity at Anfield on Thursday, it was claimed an offer has been formally rejected by Leipzig, who are determined to keep the Ivory Coast international.
Intensified Negotiations
Liverpool have been in talks with Leipzig for a number of weeks over Diomande, but discussions were stepped up significantly on Thursday. The Reds are ready to table an eye-watering €100m (£86m). Ongoing conversations between key figures at both clubs, however, have yet to yield a breakthrough, despite the huge finances on offer. Sources in Germany believe Liverpool's offer was official and rebuffed.
Leipzig's Stance
Leipzig are fighting to retain the electric 19-year-old winger and want him to sign a new deal that would likely contain a release clause. The Bundesliga side have a good relationship with the Reds that has been honed over much of the last decade, with deals for Naby Keita, Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai all being thrashed out since 2017. Fabio Carvalho was also loaned to Leipzig in 2023, and negotiations over Harvey Elliott also took place last summer but an agreement could not be found. Despite the good terms, however, the Red Bull outfit remain steadfast in their insistence that Diomande won't be leaving.
Record Fee Required
A fee of €130m (£112m) is being sought if Leipzig are to reluctantly sell, which would make the Ivory Coast international the third most expensive of all time on Merseyside behind the 2025 deals for the £116m Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, who became the most expensive footballer in British history when he moved from Newcastle United on September 1 for £125m.
Alternative Targets
Brighton & Hove Albion star Yankuba Minteh, Said El Mala, who plays for Koln, and Lille wideman Matias Fernandez-Pardo are three other options Liverpool may consider if they are forced to step away from negotiations over Diomande. However, the former Leganes youngster is undoubtedly the primary target at this stage as the Reds look to further add to their attacking options after sealing a £34.5m deal for Victor Munoz from Osasuna on Thursday.
Competition from PSG
European champions Paris Saint-Germain are also looking to sign Diomande. However, competition for a place in a front three that sees Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola all battle for minutes alongside Goncalo Ramos might impact the decision of the teenager. The opportunity to succeed a legendary figure like Mohamed Salah may appeal to Diomande, and it's been reported that Liverpool have made more in-roads with the player's agency than PSG, who retained the Champions League on May 30, the day Arne Slot was sacked on Merseyside.
Representation and Legal Dispute
Diomande is represented by the New York-based Roc Nation Sports, which is owned by rap star JAY Z, but the player's previous representatives, Maxidel Management, are currently locked in a legal dispute with the firm, having seen their former client leave in February.
World Cup Performance
The youngster shone in Ivory Coast's World Cup victory over Ecuador earlier this week and is currently preparing for their second game of the tournament against Wirtz's Germany on Saturday, in Toronto.
Liverpool's Strategic Shift
Liverpool have been assessing profiles who they feel will be able to extract maximum value from Isak going forward after Salah, top scorer in eight of his nine seasons at the club, announced his decision to leave at the end of the campaign back in March. And with the club looking to change their approach to a more aggressive and front-footed approach under new boss Andoni Iraola, Diomande ticks all the boxes. Iraola met with his new recruitment department earlier this month and gave the green light to a pursuit for Munoz, who also had suitors from the Premier League in Manchester United and Newcastle United.
Exciting Teenager
But the interest in Diomande predates Iraola's Anfield arrival, and he is viewed as one of the most exciting teenagers in world football after a campaign that saw him score 12 goals and create nine assists in 33 Bundesliga games.
