Liverpool have been given a major boost by Yan Diomande after the explosive Ivory Coast winger made it clear he wants to play for the Merseysiders, while sources have revealed the exact costs the Reds will need to fork out to win a player being bandied as ‘Red Bull’s best discovery since Erling Haaland’.
The 19-year-old winger is one of this season’s breakout stars, having scored an impressive seven goals, adding a further four assists in just 16 appearances for RB Leipzig. Currently starring in the African Cup of Nations, where his side take on Mohamed Salah’s Egypt for a place in the semi-finals on Saturday evening, the 19-year-old is seen as his country’s brightest talent in years.
Off the back of his exploits in Morocco and, before that, in the Bundesliga, Diomande, signed for a bargain €20m (£17m, $23m) fee from Leganes over the summer, has fast emerged as one of world football’s most in-demand young talents.
Indeed, we can reveal that Tottenham Hotspur were the first Premier League club to send scouts to watch him, though they were soon joined by Liverpool, and with Manchester United now also very much alerted to him.
However, interest in Diomande comes from far and wide, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, and Bayern Munich all sending scouts to make regular checks on his progress.
Now, as his side prepares for their last-eight showdown with Egypt, Diomande has gone public with the club he most admires and where he would like to play next in a very telling transfer admission.
“I want to play at Anfield, I want to play for Liverpool,” Diomande is seen as saying during a live stream on Instagram. “I’m a big Liverpool fan. My father’s dream is to see me play for Liverpool.”
However, as sources explain, Liverpool’s chances of a mid-season deal look bleak and, even if they wait until the summer, they would likely need to pay big bucks to secure his services….
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What are Leipzig’s demands for Yan Diomande sale?
Earlier this week, our transfer correspondent, Graeme Bailey, revealed how the Red Bull Group already believe that Diomande could be the greatest signing in their history; a big claim given they were responsible for pushing Erling Haaland into Champions League limelight after bringing the Norwegian to Austria to join Red Bull Salzburg.
And the fact that they did not include a release clause in his deal when bringing him to Leipzig from Leganes over the summer, means they are fully in control of his situation, amid growing claims the Bundesliga side are likely to receive approaches for his services.
We have already revealed that Red Bull has dismissed speculation that Diomande would be available for around €60m (£52m, $70m) this month, and whilst not putting a price-tag on him, we are told it would take twice that for them to consider selling his sale in January.
A summer deal may cost a little less, but it’s thought a deal is likely to cost suitors a fee of around €80m to €100m (£69.5m to £87m / $93m to $117m).
A source close to Red Bull told us: “Diomande is special, the club know this.
“Speculation does not stop, but he isn’t leaving this summer. Every player has a price, but to get him this month would take huge money, sums we don’t believe will arrive.”
Yan Diomande, a player Liverpool have scouted:
“I want to play at Anfield, i want to play for Liverpool. I’m a big Liverpool fan. My father’s dream is to see me play for Liverpool.” pic.twitter.com/tHYSf67Xvv
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) January 10, 2026
While Liverpool are not expected to make a move for the winger this month, the fact that he has now made it clear he would be open to moving to Anfield will certainly give Arne Slot and Richard Hughes food for thought.
The Reds are very big on succession planning and, amid Salah‘s very obvious frustration with life on the Liverpool substitutes’ bench spilling out into an angry rant against the club in the days before his departure for AFCON, speculation that the Egyptian could be allowed to leave for a sizeable fee this summer refuses to go away.
Should the Reds cash in – and rumours of a sizeable £50m-plus move to Saudi Arabia continue to hover – the Reds may well be tempted to bring in Diomande, who has operated mainly off the right wing (10 appearances this season), but can also play on the left (six appearances), as the heir to Salah at Anfield.
Latest Liverpool news: Four Arne Slot replacements lined up; stunning Spurs links
Meanwhile, sources can reveal that Liverpool have ‘contingency plans’ in place should they decide to sack Slot, with FOUR exciting names on their shortlist as replacements.
Like any well-run club, the Reds do have plans in place should the axe fall, though it would be remiss of us not to emphasise that the Dutchman’s position is not under any immediate threat.
That is a theory also backed up by James Pearce, who is adamant that reports that Slot faces the sack this weekend are wide of the mark.
On the transfer front, a stunning report has claimed Liverpool have made a Tottenham star a ‘major target’, while TEAMtalk sources have revealed Spurs’ plans for their prized talent.
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