Liverpool want to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig this summer, but getting a deal over the line will not be easy.
The teen sensation is the Reds' number one transfer priority in the summer transfer window, with the Anfield outfit needing to strengthen in wide forward areas following the departure of Mohamed Salah and the question marks over Federico Chiesa and Cody Gakpo's futures.
Diomande has been a shining light for the Ivory Coast at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in America, Canada and Mexico so far, winning the man of the match award for the win over Ecuador and impressing in the 2-1 defeat to Germany.
Leipzig price keeps going up for Diomande
Yan Diomande Ivory CoastAction Images
Liverpool will have to splash big money on the 19-year-old in order to complete a deal, with Leipzig looking for at least €100million to sanction a deal, not that they want to at all.
The German outfit are keen to keep hold of their red-hot forward and have offered him improved contract terms in the hopes of making him stay for at least one more year. The Red Bull side qualified for next season's Champions League and the hope is that will encourage him to stay put for another year.
Liverpool have already had one bid for the Ivorian turned down, GIVEMESPORT understands it was for €80million plus €20 million in add-ons, so totaling the €100million that the German side were demanding. The Reds are planning to make a second offer in the coming days.
GMS senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs revealed in his newsletter - which you can sign up to receive direct to your email inbox right here - that Liverpool are not prepared to hang around when it comes to signing the teenager.
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He said: "Liverpool's perspective is that Diomande is their number one target, but if they cannot get him, and relatively quickly, they're also prepared to move on.
"It's not a transfer that Liverpool want to drag on until deadline day, like Alexander Isak when he moved from Newcastle, it's clarity quickly, and if they can't get it because the player decides to stay or Leipzig's price remains at €130million or so, then Liverpool move on to other targets."
The Diomande alternatives Liverpool could sign this summer
Bradley Barcolavia Reuters
And the Reds already have four other names in the frame when it comes to strengthening their forward line, as revealed by Jacobs.
He continued: "There's appreciation for Bradley Barcola, so in a backhanded way, if PSG get Diomande, it might open the door for Barcola to move to the Premier League.
"There's also Matias Fernandez-Pardo [from Lille], Said el Mala [from Koln] and Yankuba Minteh at Brighton, three other names the Reds are looking at."
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