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Liverpool are said to be leading the chase for one of Europe's most promising teenage talents
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The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member features. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Fantastic football content straight to your inbox! From the latest transfer news, quizzes, videos, features and interviews with the biggest names in the game, plus lots more. Sign up to our FREE live football newsletter, tracking all of the biggest games available to watch on the device of your choice. Never miss a kick-off! Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Liverpool’s hopes of successfully defending their Premier League title have been realistically over for some time, with the Reds now finding themselves in a scrap for a Champions League spot. As we approach the run-in, Arne Slot’s side are sixth in the table, but level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea and Manchester United in fifth, with all three clubs knowing how important a spot in next year’s Champions League will be when it comes to maximising their pull in the summer transfer market. And while Liverpool dropped more than £450 million last summer, they are likely to enter this summer’s market needing to secure a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, who is in the final 18 months of his deal at Anfield and expressed his frustration at his role in the side back in December.
Liverpool’s transfer policy in recent years has seen the club target European football’s most promising young players alongside established stars and Slot’s men may have pipped one of the continent’s heavyweights to another talented prospect. RB Leipzig’s 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande has been turning heads this season following his €20 million summer move from Spanish La Liga side Leganes, scoring nine goals and laying on seven assists for the Bundesliga team.
Some of Europe’s biggest sides have been monitoring the Ivory Coast international’s progress, including German champions Bayern Munich. However, Vincent Kompany’s side reportedly fear that Liverpool have pipped them to the teenager, as Bayern Space report that the Anfield outfit already has an agreement in place for Diomande's signature. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Leipzig signed the Ivorian to a five-year contract in the summer, meaning they are not under pressure to sell the teenager, but could reportedly be ready to do business for a fee in the region of €100m. Further reports have suggested that should Bayern miss out to Liverpool in the race for Diomande, they may look to sign Cody Gakpo as an alternative in the summer. Diomande’s pace, movement and ability on the flanks means he would appear to tick the boxes that Liverpool would be looking for as their plans for life without Salah are stepped up and the club will no doubt be impressed with how quickly Diomande has adapted to the Bundesliga this term.
In Four Four Two’s view, it should be no surprise that Diomande’s impressive debut season in the Bundesliga means that Europe’s big hitters are sniffing around the nine-time Ivory Coast international. The teen is valued at €45m by Transfermarkt, but his contract length, potential and start to life in Germany mean that it would take far more than that to prize him from Leipzig. That would mean a hefty outlay for Liverpool - but if they are convinced Diomande can continue to step up, he could be a compelling Salah replacement. For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and Leeds Live among others and worked at Four Four Two throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
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