Liverpool has been warned against paying the transfer fee that RB Leipzig is demanding for 19-year-old forward Yan Diomande because it doesn't represent "good value for money"
12:10, 21 Jun 2026
Yan Diomande during the World Cup game between Ivory Coast and Germany.
Yan Diomande during the World Cup game between Ivory Coast and Germany.(Image: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
If Liverpool is to get a deal over the line for Yan Diomande this summer then it will not come cheap. That has been apparent for some time.
RB Leipzig would like to keep Diomande for another season, though there is an acceptance that the 19-year-old staying longer than that may be unrealistic. If he can be persuaded to sign a new contract, it would include a release clause alongside a hefty pay increase, but Liverpool and PSG's interest is genuine.
It is understood that Liverpool has already made clear to Leipzig that it would be willing to pay around €100 million ($115 million/£85 million) for Diomande, but the German club wants more.
And while those sums are eye-watering, they are also a reflection of his quality — as showcased at the World Cup with Ivory Coast — and the strong position that his current side is in.
The suggestion in Germany is that an offer of around $150 million (£112 million) might be enough to reluctantly force Leipzig into a sale. But not everyone is convinced that would be a good option.
"I'm not paying £112 million for him," Jay Bothroyd said on Sky Sports.
Yan Diomande during an Ivory Coast game at the World Cup.
Yan Diomande during an Ivory Coast game at the World Cup.(Image: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
"There is no doubt about it, he is a very good player. But £112 million? That would describe you as one of the world's best wingers and I'm not sure that he is.
"If it is £85 million, I think that is a good valuation from Liverpool. I think that is a fair valuation.
"Going above that, though, I can't see that, and I don't think it would be good value for money.
"When you are spending that kind of money on a player, you have to be one of the best in the world in that position. I don't think he's one of the best in the world.
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"He's got a very high ceiling because he is so young. But now, if Liverpool are spending that money, it has to be on one of the best in the world."
Liverpool.com says: Diomande is one of the best up-and-coming talents around, and there are very few world-class wingers out there on the market, which influences his valuation too.
With the Reds in real need of pace and quality in forward areas, signing someone else to add to Victor Munoz is a must. If it isn't Diomande, there doesn't look to be many of his level that are attainable.