A Brighton winger will be ‘one of the first names’ Liverpool look at if they decide to move on from Yan Diomande, and the Seagulls man will be £72million cheaper.
The Reds are prioritising a new winger this summer. It’s no surprise that’s the area they’re most interested in improving, having lost Mohamed Salah this summer, after nine years and a spectacular Liverpool career.
RB Leipzig star Diomande is their top target, but he’ll command a €130million (£112m) fee, and there is a suggestion that Liverpool might not pay that.
Should they choose not to, Caught Offside reports Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh is expected to be ‘one of the first names they move for.’
Liverpool are said to have set aside £40million for that potential transfer, which is £72million less than they’d pay for Diomande, and therefore an ideal budget option.
Minteh is said to be a fitting option for Andoni Iraola, with a good deal of pace and threat in a one-v-one situation.
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Liverpool confident of Diomande deal
But it doesn’t seem Liverpool are going to turn their back on Diomande anyway.
Indeed, sources state they are growing increasingly confident that the Leipzig man wants to move to Anfield.
For that reason, they are continuing their aggressive push to land the winger, whose stock is rising as a result of performances at the World Cup for the Ivory Coast.
Since Iraola came through the door at Liverpool, talks have intensified, and though a £90million bid was turned away, Liverpool remain determined to land Diomande.
They have provided him with a detailed vision of the future and the role he’ll play in it.
That Diomande is seen as the long-term successor to Salah has resonated with Salah, and he’s excited about the prospect of becoming one of the faces of the new era at Anfield.
Fabrizio Romano has backed up information from sources.
He has stated: “It’s always the talk about the bid, the new bid, the next bid, but I believe that Liverpool are doing excellent work on the player side in order to get the green light and to have Diomande telling Leipzig, ‘let me go to Liverpool.’
“So that’s what they’re doing, and that’s why I believe there is confidence at the club to get it done.”
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