Former Rangers youngster Robbie Fraser has revealed that £100million Liverpool target Yan Diomande was once an unknown trialist at Ibrox who left him astonished. The RB Leipzig winger is now tipped to replace Mohamed Salah at Anfield, but Fraser recalls a shy teenager who blew everyone away during a week-long trial in October 2023.
The Trial That Could Have Changed Everything
Diomande, then 16, arrived from the DME Academy in Daytona Beach, USA, for a stint with Rangers' B team under Davie McCallum. He played in a friendly against Monaco's reserves at Ibrox, impressing with his skill. Fraser, now at Dunfermline, said: "You kind of forget about these lads who come in on trial. It was only later we saw him show up in Germany with Leipzig. I remember seeing clips of him scoring incredible goals. I was pointing at the screen going, 'I know this lad!' It's crazy."
Diomande's Immediate Impact
Fraser described Diomande as shy off the pitch but electric on it. "He didn't speak much English, but his feet did all the talking. He was brilliant against Monaco, direct, quick, strong, and rarely lost the ball. I was shocked we didn't sign him." Diomande later had trials at Chelsea and Bournemouth before joining Leganes and then RB Leipzig for £17million.
What Might Have Been for Rangers
Diomande has said his agent demanded too much money, but Fraser wonders if Rangers could have acted. "It's tough against clubs offering more, but with that ability, it's worth the gamble. He was a year from first-team ready. Maybe the turmoil after Michael Beale's sacking meant it got pushed aside. He'll be remembered as the one who got away."
