Liverpool are increasingly optimistic of beating PSG to the signing of Yan Diomande and are readying a hefty second bid after their opening offer was rejected – but they do have four alternative options if they fail to convince RB Leipzig to sell the teenage winger.
The Reds are determined to act quickly and build a side capable of challenging for the Premier League title again under Andoni Iraola after a seriously underwhelming season under his predecessor Arne Slot.
And to illustrate that point, Liverpool on Thursday swooped in quickly to agree a move for Osasuna winger Victor Munoz, after agreeing to meet his £34m (€40m, $45m) release clause and beating Newcastle to his signature.
However, the top target for the Reds remains Diomande, who is coming off the back of a brilliant breakout season with RB Leipzig, and has long been earmarked as the dream successor to Mohamed Salah.
Indeed, as exclusively first revealed by TEAMtalk way back in December, officials from Anfield were in what was described to us as ‘almost daily contact’ with the player’s entourage over a move to Anfield and were prepared to go the extra mile to convince him to switch to Merseyside.
Now, after seeing an opening bid for the player knocked back, David Ornstein on Thursday night has revealed that an ‘improved proposal’ from the Reds is on the way.
Ornstein also insists that the Reds are now ‘in the driving seat’ ahead of Paris Saint-Germain for the 19-year-old.
Furthermore, a late-night update from Ben Jacobs insists Liverpool have a green light from the player to join them.
“They have that player buy-in, even though PSG are there as well and not to be discounted,” Jacobs explained to talkSPORT.
“Liverpool are prepared to try and move quickly. Even though Diomande is currently busy with the Ivory Coast there is a distinct possibility that this is another deal that gets done during the World Cup.”
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Yan Diomande wants to join Liverpool – but Reds have four Plan B options
Despite Liverpool looking to move quickly to wrap up a deal, they still face a tricky task in convincing Leipzig – who are eager to keep the winger for at least one more season – to sell.
Nonetheless, Liverpool’s improved second bid is likely to give the Bundesliga side a serious headache, though whether it quite matches their new €130m (£112.5m, $148.5m) valuation remains to be seen.
“Leipzig are effectively stalling, delaying, trying to ward off the market until they get an answer from Diomande,” Jacobs continued.
“But Liverpool are prepared to put serious money down and they are in negotiations with Leipzig, so not just on the player side, and this could move very quickly as well.”
Jacobs added that “it’s leaning towards the player wanting to move to the Premier League.”
Should they fail to land Diomande – and Liverpool’s wish to sign two wingers this summer is clear – then Jacobs reports that Liverpool do have three alternatives under consideration.
Per the reporter, Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh is on their shortlist, while PSG star Bradley Barcola, Said El Mala of Cologne and Matias Fernandez-Pardo of Lille – another player wanted by Newcastle – are also being watched.
However, it is evidently clear that Diomande is, was and remains their undisputed number one pick – and it seems FSG are ready to pull out all the stops to convince Leipzig to sell and to bring their dream Salah heir to Anfield.
All these signings, of course, will not be without casualties, and it emerged on Thursday that the Reds are ready to cash in on a winger this summer, though it categorically won’t be Rio Ngumoha.
However, there is some bad news for the Reds with it emerging that a top defensive target has given priority to a move to Real Madrid over Anfield.