Yan Diomande has made his final decision over which club he wants to join from RB Leipzig this summer amid interest from Liverpool, PSG, Arsenal and a surprise fourth club.
The 19-year-old winger has been in high demand this summer following a superb debut Bundesliga season.
He scored 12 goals and provided eight assists, and went on to represent Ivory Coast at the World Cup.
The African nation reached the round of 32 stage before suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat to Norway, with Diomande impressing throughout the tournament.
It has seemed inevitable since before the World Cup began that Diomande will be leaving Leipzig in the not-so-distant future, even despite the club’s sporting director Marcel Schafer publicly stating that he would be going nowhere.
But PSG and Liverpool, who were both first credited with interest in the £100 million-rated winger, are still keen on signing him, with Arsenal now involved in the race after missing out on Morgan Rogers to Chelsea.
Following their failed Rogers pursuit, Fabrizio Romano reported that the Gunners had made contact with Diomande’s representatives to enquire about the possibility of a transfer.
But now a fourth club has entered the race – and it could change everything.
The Athletic reported on Friday evening that Real Madrid, who are now managed by Jose Mourinho, are in talks with Leipzig over the Ivorian star.
Real have already signed four players since Mourinho returned to the Spanish giants for a second spell in charge last month, and are also said to be working on a deal to sign World Cup winner Rodri from Manchester City.
Diomande signals transfer preference as Real Madrid circle
According to TEAMtalk, Diomande’s preference remains a move to PSG, the club he supported growing up.
He previously told French media: “Paris Saint-Germain is a team I’ve loved since I was little. I think my father was a PSG supporter. It’s a team I admire as a football fan.”
But it is reported that Real’s interest has changed the situation, with Diomande now open to joining them instead – but only if PSG cannot agree an acceptable fee with Leipzig.
The Champions League holders are understood to have yet to submit a bid for the 19-year-old, who is already back in pre-season training following his break after the World Cup.
It is said that PSG’s lack of action so far is ‘becoming the biggest source of frustration’ for the winger, though there has been no public comment from Diomande surrounding his future – except for a brief statement during the World Cup.
When asked during a press conference about the interest from, at the time, PSG and Liverpool, Diomande stated that he ‘expect(s) to leave’ Leipzig this summer.
“First of all I think, like I said, my dream is playing for my country, and to make history with my country,” he told reporters.
“I don’t have Instagram anymore. I don’t have TikTok as well, so I can’t see anything! But I expect to leave, of course. And I have an agent, he’s going to manage the rest. But for me, the most important thing right now is the focus on the World Cup with my country.”
