Liverpool might edge Tottenham in race for highly-rated forward as RB Leipzig set £87m price tag.
RB Leipzig have set an £87 million price tag on highly-rated forward Yan Diomande, a figure that has effectively priced Manchester United out of the race and left Liverpool as the clear frontrunners to secure his signature, according to Topskills Sports UK on X. Tottenham remain interested but face a significant challenge in meeting Leipzig’s valuation given their current financial and sporting situation.
The fee represents a substantial outlay for any club, but for Tottenham specifically, it raises immediate questions about feasibility. A side battling Premier League relegation with one point separating them from the bottom three is not typically in a position to sanction expenditure approaching £90 million on a single player.
Relegation would eliminate transfer possibility of Yan Diomande to Tottenham
The Lewis family have pledged a major summer overhaul and a loosened wage structure, but that ambition is entirely contingent on maintaining top-flight status. Should Spurs go down, any conversation about pursuing a player at this price point becomes largely academic.
Liverpool’s position as frontrunners reflects the advantage that Champions League football and a stable, well-resourced environment provides in the transfer market. Given Diomande’s profile and age, the opportunity to join a club competing at the highest level of European football will almost certainly carry more weight than the financial promises of a club whose immediate future remains unresolved.
Diomande on 19 G/A this season, has attracted considerable attention throughout this season with his performances at Leipzig, establishing himself as one of the more exciting young forwards in the Bundesliga. His profile fits the kind of dynamic, direct attacking player that De Zerbi has consistently favoured throughout his managerial career, which explains Tottenham’s interest. The Italian has always sought forwards capable of pressing aggressively, running in behind, and contributing to the team’s overall structure rather than simply occupying a fixed position.
🚨 RB Leipzig have set £87m price tag on Yan Diomande — a fee that’s simply too high for Manchester United.
Tottenham remain interested, but Liverpool are the clear frontrunners to sign the highly-rated forward.
— Source: FlashScore pic.twitter.com/Zl4pvzjDrf
— Topskills Sports UK (@topskillsportuk) April 5, 2026
The £87 million valuation, however, is a significant obstacle. Tottenham are already facing the prospect of needing to replace multiple key players this summer, invest heavily in defence, resolve the goalkeeping situation, and build an entirely new squad culture under De Zerbi. Allocating the majority of a transfer budget to a single forward, however talented, would leave the rebuild dangerously lopsided.
Tottenham’s interest is genuine, but Liverpool’s financial strength, European pedigree, and current stability make them overwhelming favourites to win this particular race. For Spurs, Diomande may ultimately represent a target that arrives one summer too early.