Leipzig had signed Diomande, then still relatively unknown, from CD Leganés for 20 million. Even captain David Raum was taken aback by the fee. "I checked his market value in the summer and then saw what we'd paid," I then briefly asked whether there had been a typo in the offer or what the issue was," the German international told Sky at the end of last year.
His doubts evaporated after the first training session, when he told Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schäfer, "I congratulated him on the transfer." Schäfer and the club's scouting team would go on to earn widespread praise as the season unfolded.
With 12 goals and 9 assists in 33 Bundesliga appearances, Diomande proved pivotal as Leipzig secured third place and returned to the Champions League after missing out on European football the previous season.
For Diomande, it may well have been his last major success in a Leipzig shirt.