Liverpool ready to offer package approaching €100m for Yan Diomande
Liverpool have intensified their pursuit of RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande, expressing a willingness to put forward a package approaching €100million for the Ivory Coast forward.
That is an improvement on an earlier proposal by the Premier League club during dialogue with their Bundesliga counterparts regarding where they are prepared to go financially to land Diomande.
Paris Saint-Germain remain in contention but have yet to send a bid to Leipzig while they await a choice from Diomande as to who he wants to join.
The French champions are also said by sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, to be behind Liverpool at present in relation to the personal terms on offer to the 19-year-old.
Liverpool, therefore, currently find themselves firmly in the driving seat, although they continue to study more options in case a deal is not doable.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Yankuba Minteh, Said El Mala of FC Koln and Lille’s Matias Fernandez-Pardo are among those being considered.
The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Liverpool had agreed a deal to recruit Spain international winger Victor Munoz from Osasuna.
The Athletic reported on June 4 that Liverpool were in the strongest position to sign Diomande and had contacted Leipzig as part of their push.
There is no desire at the German club to see Diomande leave — they want to extend his contract — and the expectation is that it would take a fee in excess of €130m to change that.
The forward missed only one Bundesliga game this season, for an international call-up, scoring 12 and providing nine assists over 33 league appearances as Leipzig finished third and qualified for the Champions League.
Diomande is part of the Ivory Coast’s World Cup squad this summer and started his nation’s first game of the tournament, against Ecuador, on Sunday.
How is Diomande playing at the World Cup?
As debut appearances at the World Cup go, Yan Diomande could not have hoped for much more.
Only 19 years old, the Ivorian was unquestionably the most impactful and eye-catching player on the pitch as his country secured a 1-0 win over Ecuador. He initially tormented the right flank, then he set his sights on the left, fizzing with enthusiasm and ideas throughout, much like he has done throughout a whirlwind start to his professional career.
Barely 18 months ago, Diomande was playing his football for DME Sports Academy in Florida. Even this time last year, he was a relatively unknown quantity, despite RB Leipzig’s commitment of €20m for his services, after just 500 minutes of football for Spanish side Leganes at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
But Diomande seems to relish the spotlight. He is an endlessly enthusiastic dribbler whose positivity, as much as his precocious talent, demands the spectator sit up and take note. He took more touches, attempted more take-ons and created more chances than any of his Ivory Coast team-mates against Ecuador, stamping his authority and an exhilarating approach to dribbling onto every attack.
Read Thom Harris’ analysis below.