Liverpool may now decide against signing RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, despite various reports suggesting he could be Mohamed Salah’s replacement.
Diomande has been backed to join the Reds this summer many times of late, with the 19-year-old a winger with a huge amount of potential.
But speaking to Football Insider, former Everton CEO Keith Wyness claimed that Liverpool could instead look for a cheaper alternative, name-checking Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon as an option:
“Financially they could, there’s no doubt. However, they’ve been really bitten with the amounts they paid last summer and they’d have to be very sure about this one. I don’t know enough about Diomande in terms of the character assessment, how he would fit into Liverpool, and what Arne Slot’s got in mind.
“Anthony Gordon’s a much cheaper option than Diomande and might settle well, but he may not be Diomande’s quality. Gordon will settle in much quicker, and that’s been part of the issue that the squad has had this year, that a few of them have not settled into the Premier League quickly enough, and that would still be an issue with Diomande.
“They’ve got to be careful about that. But there’s no doubt they could do it financially if they wish to. I’ve got a feeling that they’re going to look for other options, and that Diomande may not be the answer for them this time.”
Can’t Liverpool sign Yan Diomande AND Anthony Gordon?
It would be a surprise if Liverpool suddenly ended their interest in Diomande, considering how much they have been linked, and the talent he possesses, being called unbelievable by Leipzig teammate Assan Ouedraogo.
Gordon shouldn’t be seen as an alternative either, with the England international a possible upgrade on Cody Gakpo on the left wing, with Diomande wreaking havoc on the opposite flank.
Admittedly, signing both would be expensive, so much depends on Liverpool’s summer transfer budget, but if the money is there, two wingers are required in the summer transfer window.
Michael Olise’s performance for Bayern Munich against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night showed why so many Reds supporters would love him to come in, but Diomande feels like a more realistic choice.