A breakthrough in Liverpool's pursuit of Yan Diomande is not imminent, with RB Leipzig determined to keep the £100m-rated winger. Social media claims, erroneously attributed to Bild, that Liverpool had tabled a bid in excess of £100m on Thursday afternoon were dismissed as entirely false by sources at the German publication.
The Reds last week communicated their willingness to pay up to £86m for the Ivory Coast international as they seek more pace in wide areas for Andoni Iraola's squad for the season ahead. Diomande has emerged as one of the most talented teenagers in German football, and his performances last season put a number of European heavyweights on notice, with Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain also interested.
Leipzig's Financial Pressure
However, it is Liverpool who are thought to be leading the race at present, but Leipzig are reluctant to do a deal below their £112m valuation of a player they brought to Germany from Spanish club Leganes last summer. A new report from German publication Bild, though, has claimed the Bundesliga club are in need of funds this summer after appointing Martin Demichelis as their new head coach this week. Demichelis is the successor for Ole Werner, who was relieved of his duties at the Red Bull Arena, despite leading the side to the Champions League.
Bild have claimed the cost of replacing Werner and his staff with former Manchester City defender Demichelis has eaten up a portion of their funds, with £97m needed to be raised this summer. "For (managing director) Marcel Schafer, the new coaching situation does not make the task any easier," write Bild. "The ex-professional is under pressure to sell players. The background is the transfer proceeds of 113million euros (£97.3m) specified by the bosses, which Leipzig is to generate this summer."
Diomande's Stance and Leipzig's History
The most obvious way to do that would be to agree to a sale of Diomande. However, Leipzig are keen to speak to his Roc Nation Sports representatives about a new deal, with Schafer indicating last month the club want the Ivorian to pen fresh terms. "As with Yan, the following applies: Good performances are rewarded with us," Schafer told Bild. However, Roc Nation Sports have been sounding out some of Europe's biggest clubs, including Liverpool, over their intentions regarding Diomande since he signed with the New York-based agency in February.
Speaking earlier this month, the player himself did not exactly shoot down talk of him moving to the Premier League this summer, saying after their 1-0 win over Ecuador at the World Cup: "I am an RB Leipzig player, but why not? My agents will sort that out. As for me I am more focused on the World Cup, that's the most important thing. It doesn't happen all the time, it's only every four years, so I am making the most of it and for the rest, we'll see."
Speaking earlier this year, Oliver Mintzlaff, the CEO of Red Bull, who own the Bundesliga club, outlined his belief that Diomande should stay where he is for now. "If I were managing director of sport, I wouldn't sell this young player," he said. "No matter what price is called." For all of Leipzig's bullishness around retaining Diomande, however, the club has a long-established history of selling their key players to reinvest in the next crop. Naby Keita, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ibrahima Konate are three players who have made the jump from Leipzig to Liverpool since 2018, and the Bundesliga outfit have also previously sold a slew of others like Timo Werner, Xavi Simons and Christopher Nkunku.
Alternative Targets
Throw in Benjamin Sesko, Dani Olmo and Josko Gvardiol, and the picture of the German outfit operating as a willing selling-club becomes apparent. It would deviate from a well-established strategy, then, to draw the line at Diomande, who would be the first player to potentially break the £100m barrier for outgoings. That being said, Liverpool have outlined a handful of other players who they could potentially pivot to should talks with Leipzig lead down a dead end for Diomande. Brighton & Hove Albion star Yankuba Minteh, Said El Mala, who plies his trade for Koln, and Lille's Matias Fernandez-Pardo are three other options. Fernandez-Pardo is also reportedly wanted by Aston Villa. All three players would be nowhere near the same sort of price point being set for Diomande, theoretically freeing up funds to be used elsewhere, but the Leipzig star remains the priority for now.
Centre-Back Situation
Elsewhere, Liverpool are insistent both Giovanni Leoni and new signing Jeremy Jacquet will be given the chance to impress Iraola to become Virgil van Dijk's first-choice partner at centre-back. The departure of Konate, as a free agent to Real Madrid, leaves the Reds short of established, senior defenders this summer. Joe Gomez, who admitted after the draw with Chelsea in May that his own future could come into question, is the only other player capable of operating comfortably at centre-back as things stand.
Nineteen-year-old Leoni is still recovering from an ACL injury and has yet to return to training out on the pitches of the AXA Training Centre, while Jacquet, who turns 21 next month, hasn't played since suffering a season-ending shoulder issue in February. It's a big ask for both to step into the first team at Liverpool at such young ages, but the club believe it has signed the two best defensive prospects from Italy and France, respectively, with their purchases of Leoni and Jacquet; the combined cost of close to £90m supports this.
Micky van de Ven Links
Having said that, Liverpool will likely remain coiled for any 'market opportunities' that present themselves for a more established centre-half option between now and the end of the window. Micky van de Ven was linked in the Netherlands last week, with Barcelona also said to be looking at his situation at Tottenham Hotspur presently. Spurs spent around £52m to land Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton earlier this month, but it's since been claimed they have no intention of hearing any offers for Van de Ven, who cost them £43m in 2023.
With back-to-back 17th-place finishes, it's been a horrendous couple of years for Tottenham in the Premier League, and Liverpool were interested in Van de Ven when he was due to leave Wolfsburg three years ago.
