The Liverpool transfer target has been compared to several icons of the game but could cost an eye-watering amount of money
RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande.
RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande has impressed in Germany(Image: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Of all the players Liverpool are presently being rumoured to sign this summer, perhaps none generates quite as much excitement as Yan Diomande does. The RB Leipzig winger, still only 19, appears to have Europe's elite battling to land his signature.
Thirteen goals and ten assists across 36 Bundesliga appearances, operating from either flank, indicate the youngster is heading for stardom. Liverpool have been heavily linked with the talent, alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester United.
Salia Drame, a journalist with Ivory Coast-based publication Abidjan Sports, has revealed precisely why Diomande is so sought after. He disclosed that the teenager possesses a playing style comparable to that of Reds and Senegal legend Sadio Mane plus Chelsea icon Eden Hazard.
"Yan is a versatile player, capable of performing on both the left and right wings. Extremely explosive, he possesses an ability to beat defenders that is well above average," Drame told the Echo. "He is also capable of tracking back defensively when needed, making him a player with a very wide range of skills."
Drame added: "His ability to beat defenders, his drive, and his comfort in one-on-one situations are reminiscent of Sadio Mane at the peak of his powers. As for his ability to hold the ball with his back to goal and resist pressure, it brings to mind [Ex-Chelsea forward] Eden Hazard in his best years."
Born in 2006 in the skyscraper-filled city of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Diomande's prowess on the pitch saw him relocate to the United States at just 15, joining the Florida-based DME Academy to develop his talents.
In October 2023, he underwent a trial at Scottish side Rangers but was unsuccessful despite appearing in a pre-season match for the club's B team against Monaco.
LEGANES, SPAIN - MAY 24: Yan Diomande of CD Leganes celebrates after scoring the team's second goal during the LaLiga match between CD Leganes and Real Valladolid CF at Estadio Municipal de Butarque on May 24, 2025 in Leganes, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde Colomer/Getty Images)
Yan Diomande burst on the scene at Leganes(Image: 2025 Aitor Alcalde Colomer)
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He also featured for Greek club Olympiacos in another unsuccessful trial. His early setbacks have only hardened the youngster to the peaks and troughs of professional football.
"I was alone when I went on those trials, but I'm grateful for those experiences," Diomande said earlier this year. "They helped me understand that I can make it through life on my own if I have to."
Drame agrees and believes Diomande possesses an exceptional mentality. "Yan comes from a working-class neighbourhood in Abidjan, where many young people dream of becoming professional footballers," the journalist said.
"Reaching such a level coming from Yopougon (suburb of Abidjan) is a testament to great resilience, a strong character, and a particularly well-developed work ethic."
It was ultimately a promising switch to La Liga side Leganes in November 2024 where Diomande captured Leipzig's attention, who snapped him up a year later for £20million.
Drame believes Diomande's natural ability could even make him a future winner of the Golden Boy award, an accolade presented to players under 21 who have dominated Europe's elite leagues.
Ivory Coast's forward #26 Yan Diomande controls the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) round of 16 football match between Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso at the Grand Stadium in Marrakesh on January 6, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)
Yan Diomande is expected to be a huge threat for Ivory Coast at this summer's World Cup(Image: Getty Images)
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Previous recipients include: Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham. PSG star Desire Doue claimed the honour in 2025.
"With his technical qualities, his explosiveness, his personality on the pitch, and his ability to make a difference, he has all the tools to eventually become one of the best players in the world," Drame said.
So what are Liverpool's realistic prospects of securing the forward? The player himself has previously declared his admiration for the Reds.
"I want to play at Anfield, I want to play for Liverpool," Diomande said earlier this year. "I'm a big fan of Liverpool. I'm a big fan of Liverpool because my father's dream is to see me play at Anfield. So that's my dream. You know, to fulfil my father's dream is a dream for me too."
Diomande later walked back those comments, though, and revealed that his father also follows reigning European champions PSG.
Regardless, landing the youngster will require substantial financial firepower. While Leipzig are reportedly determined to keep Diomande, with the winger tied down until 2030, it's understood an offer exceeding £87m might persuade the German club to sell.
Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig celebrates
Liverpool have been one of several clubs linked with a summer move for RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande(Image: Getty Images)
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A stellar World Cup performance from Diomande this year could also push that valuation considerably higher. That said, Leipzig chairman Oliver Mintzlaff insisted he wouldn't sell Diomande irrespective of "what price is being offered".
Nevertheless, whoever secures his signature could strike gold if Drame's assessment of the player's potential proves accurate. He also drew one final comparison to another Premier League icon from years past.
He concluded: "Yan Diomande is now the darling of the Ivorian public. Many see in him the future great superstar of Ivorian football, following in the footsteps of [former Chelsea striker] Didier Drogba... Diomande could bring the freshness and dynamism that the Reds have sorely missed."
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