Image Credits: Imago Images
The Yan Diomande transfer saga is firmly building momentum and it’s becoming increasingly clear that everyone is already planning for life without him.
Liverpool have reportedly made the 19-year-old Ivorian their primary target to replace Mohamed Salah, with the Egyptian King set to depart Anfield at the end of this season after nine iconic years.
It isn’t hard to see why. The right winger has been nothing short of sensational in his debut Bundesliga campaign, registering 12 goals and eight assists in 31 appearances for in his first full season in the Bundesliga – a player Leipzig snapped up for just €20 million from Leganes last summer.
Now, RB Leipzig have slapped a €100 million + valuation on him, with no release clause in his contract to offer any getting out of jail free card for would-be suitors.
Liverpool, PSG, Chelsea, Manchester United, and even Barcelona are all circling, and Diomande himself has acknowledged the speculation, telling Africa Foot: “Hearing these rumours about big clubs like PSG, Chelsea, Liverpool, and others interested in me only motivates me even more.
While any decision on his future may wait until after the World Cup, Leipzig appear to already be thinking ahead.
Sky Sports journalist Philipp Hinze has reported that RB Leipzig are monitoring AIK’s Zadok Yohanna:
“RB Leipzig shows interest in Zadok Yohanna. 18-year-old Nigerian, right winger, left-footed from AIK . Being monitored. Exciting profile. One of several names on the RB list for the attack. Interest also from BVB & Leverkusen among others.”
The parallels to Diomande are striking. Yohanna, born 2007, is a right winger who operates predominantly on the right side before cutting inside onto his more powerful left foot – exactly the profile Diomande fits.
He began his career at the Ikon Allah Football Academy in Nigeria before AIK recruited him in 2025, and he’s made an immediate impact in Sweden, scoring four goals and providing three assists in just seven appearances across all competitions.
In the 2026 Allsvenskan season alone, he’s averaging a FotMob rating of 7.92 – eye-catching numbers for a teenager who only turned 18 last year.
Leipzig could secure their next gem for a fraction of the price just as they did with Diomande himself.