Liverpool are expected to return with a new bid for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande soon after their initial offer worth up to €100 million was rejected.
Diomande is Liverpool’s priority target to replace Mohamed Salah this summer and they are willing to spend big to land the 19-year-old.
That showed as an initial proposal worth €100 million (£86.6m) was lodged this week, only for Leipzig to turn that informal offer down.
Sky Germany report that the package presented to Leipzig was an initial €90 million (£78m) and a further €10 million (£8.6m) in add-ons.
But while those terms were rejected, it is claimed that Liverpool will make another offer in the near future, with the asking price “significantly above €100 million.”
The Times‘ Paul Joyce reports that while the Reds value Diomande at around €100 million, Leipzig will be seeking a fee closer to €130 million (£112.6m).
A difference of £26 million may seem insignificant when discussing a nine-figure deal, but the likelihood is that negotiations will continue before an agreement is reached.
Liverpool are said to be confident there will be no issues when it comes to Diomande’s personal terms, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein telling The Anfield Wrap that they are “firmly in the driving seat.”
Ornstein: Liverpool in “driving seat” for Diomande
Yan Diomande goal celebration (Photo by Tomasz Karczewski/Arena Akcji/Sipa USA) Credit: Sipa US/Alamy Live News
“We’ve seen in the past that Leipzig do sell, even when they say they want to keep players, but they sell for the price they want,” he said.
“It’s up to the suitors to get to that price. So Liverpool have manoeuvred into a really strong position with this pursuit that’s gone on for quite some time now.”
Ornstein added: “These are all conversations between clubs until it actually gets to the point of formal offers being sent over.
“You normally do [that] when you believe a player is committed to you. You don’t tend to pursue a player and make offers if you don’t know that you’ve got an agreement or you’re in line to get an agreement on player terms.
“It’s really interesting, as far as I know Liverpool have gone the highest at this point in time.
“PSG’s interest is firm, it’s strong, they want to sign him, but it was described to me that they’re quite far behind at the moment.”
It is explained that much depends on Diomande’s decision over his future, with every indication so far that he is keen to join Liverpool if a deal can be struck.