Richard Hughes will be aware that Liverpool could in a race against time to secure some transfer targets, with the soccer world's collective attention turning to the World Cup this week
20:35, 07 Jun 2026Updated 20:36, 07 Jun 2026
Richard Hughes
Richard Hughes will be mindful of the World Cup start date(Image: 2025 CameraSport)
Liverpool has plenty of issues to address during this summer's transfer window, but there could be a rather large obstacle in the way from this week onwards.
That's because the biggest sporting competition on the planet gets underway on Wednesday, with the 2026 World Cup in North America starting on Thursday.
Plenty of the players Liverpool will be targeting during the off-season will be in action for their countries, which could delay progress in transfer negotiations. It's an issue that Liverpool's sporting director, Richard Hughes, touched upon when he arrived at Liverpool two years ago.
"When there are major competitions during the summer — a European Championship, Copa America and the Olympics as well — there's a lot of football being played, naturally the attention is going to be there," Hughes said.
That issue will apply to Yan Diomande this summer, with the Ivorian believed to want his future sorted before the tournament begins.
Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are the clubs that are being most heavily linked with a move for Diomande, but if neither club can reach an agreement to sign him in the coming days, they may have to wait until after the tournament to resume their battle for the RB Leipzig winger.
Diomande seemingly dealt a blow to the Reds' chances of signing him last week, after declaring that he has "loved" Paris Saint-Germain since he was a child and added that it would be a "pleasure" for him to join the club.
Diomande said: "Paris Saint-Germain is a team I’ve loved since I was a child. My father supports Paris Saint-Germain, and it’s a team I admire as a football fan.
RB Leipzig player Yan Diomande
RB Leipzig player Yan Diomande(Image: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto)
"It would be a pleasure for me to come and play at Paris with one of the biggest clubs... It’s always pleasure to come here also because with French being spoken, I think adapting wouldn’t be difficult. But why not?
“I remain focused on the World Cup. After that, the clubs will sort things out between themselves and then we’ll see what happens next.”
However, despite those comments, it has since been suggested that Liverpool is leading the race to sign him.
Interestingly, Diomande previously said that his father was a Liverpool fan.
"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.”
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Diomande later slightly rowed back on those comments about his steadfast desire to play for Liverpool, although he did maintain that it was his dad's dream for him to play at Anfield.