Diomande taking the Bundesliga by storm
Diomande has been in astonishing form of late, registering three goals and as many assists in his previous three Bundesliga fixtures. Having made 10 appearances in the league, of which he has started in six, the Ivorian wonderkid has a direct goal involvement every 89 minutes, which are staggering figures for any player, especially someone who has spent less than a year in Europe and will only turn 19 on Friday.
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Diomande's rise has been nothing short of spectacular. Having made his professional debut at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid in March 2025, while still on the books of Leganes, it was at the age of 15 that the talented youngster took his first steps towards becoming a professional footballer. In 2022, the Abidjan-born winger moved to the USA, joining the DME Academy in Florida. During his three-year stay in the States, he gained experience and honed his skills with the Yulee High School varsity team, as well as United Premier Soccer League side Frenzi. While being associated to the DME Academy, he even attended trials at Scottish Premiership side Celtic.
However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the youngster. “I went to the USA to study and play football,” Diomande told Transfermarkt in October. “I tried out for a few [MLS] teams like the Colorado Rapids and Charlotte FC, but it didn’t work out. I eventually realised that [the USA] wasn’t quite right for me. Football doesn’t have the same status there as basketball or American football.”
Europe's elite tracking Diomande
Europe's elite tracking Diomande
Europe's elite tracking Diomande
His ravishing displays and mighty impact in the final third for Leipzig have not gone unnoticed. According to SPORT BILD, scouts from Europe's biggest clubs are regularly in attendance for the German outfit's matches. Diomande's videos have especially been requested to monitor and evaluate the teenage sensation. The report adds the likes of Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, City and PSG are keeping tabs on Diomande, with the unanimous belief that he has the potential to scale the same heights as Mbappe and Dembele.
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It is likely that one of the top clubs will make a move for Diomande next summer, but Leipzig managing director Marcel Schafer is keen on ensuring the player remains at the club to continue his development.
"If that were to happen, it would be another validation of our work," Schafer told SPORT BILD recently*.* "However, we are firmly planning with our current squad beyond the summer and have always emphasized our intention to build a new core group after the restructuring. This core group is currently taking shape and will bring us a great deal of satisfaction.
“Yan has settled in very quickly with us in the Bundesliga. Especially considering he’s still in his first year as a professional and is very young. He’s on the right track, but like all our other players, he still has a lot of potential for development. We’re very much looking forward to realizing that potential together in the coming years.”
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Vinicius Junior and Mbappe, Diomande's role models
Diomande, a left winger, will draw obvious comparisons to some of the biggest names who are playing or have played in the same position, such as Vinicius Junior and Mbappe. In the same interview with Transfermarkt, Diomande confessed that he wants to model his game after the Real Madrid No.7, while also adding that he loves Mbappe's mentality.
“I think Vinicius Junior is the best player in comparison,” Diomande said. “When it comes to mindset, my role model is Kylian Mbappe. I think you must have a good mentality. I think if your heart and mind are okay, then you will be okay overall. I try to work on that the most.
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“I like to model myself on many players. My country has many good examples. Players who played with power, such as Gervinho, Yaya Toure, and Max Gradel, but my dream player isn’t from my country. My favorite player is Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Leipzig have slapped an enormous €100m price tag on Diomande
Leipzig have slapped an enormous €100m price tag on Diomande
Leipzig have slapped an enormous €100m price tag on Diomande
Leipzig signed Diomande for just €20 million (£17m/$23m) over the summer. His contract, which runs until 2030, does not include a release clause. As such, Die Roten Bullen have slapped a gargantuan €100m (£88m/$116m) price tag on the player, according to Sky Germany.