Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes is expected to closely monitor Saturday's World Cup clash between Germany and Ivory Coast in Toronto, with the club hoping Florian Wirtz can steal the spotlight from their primary transfer target, Yan Diomande.
Diomande, the RB Leipzig winger, is Liverpool's leading candidate to eventually replace Mohamed Salah at Anfield. The Reds have already seen a €100m (£86.7m) offer rejected by Leipzig, who are reluctant to part with the 19-year-old. Diomande scored 13 goals and registered 10 assists in 36 appearances during his debut campaign, having joined from Leganes for just £17.3m last summer.
Leipzig are in a strong negotiating position, with Diomande contracted until 2030 and no release clause. Sporting director Marcel Schafer said: “We don’t have to say yes to any offer whatsoever. Yan doesn’t have a release clause. That means we’re in the driver’s seat and everyone else is in the back seat.” Diomande himself has indicated loyalty to the Bundesliga club, stating: “My contract here is until 2030, so I have four more years. What's going to happen afterwards? I don't know. I am a Leipzig player. I will never forget this opportunity.”
Diomande impressed in Ivory Coast's 1-0 victory over Ecuador, earning man of the match honours. Liverpool are now hoping Germany's Florian Wirtz can dominate the upcoming match and keep Diomande quiet. Wirtz, who joined Liverpool for £116.5m last summer, has yet to fully justify that investment but showed promise in Germany's 7-1 thrashing of Curacao.
According to German outlet Bild, negotiations have reached an advanced stage, with Leipzig aiming to use Diomande's World Cup performances to drive up his €120m (£104m) valuation. Liverpool's initial bid was a fixed €90m (£78m) with €10m (£8.6m) in potential bonuses. As the match approaches, Hughes will be hoping for a quiet evening for Diomande, with Wirtz taking centre stage.
