Liverpool face a crucial summer transfer window with Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson set to depart at the end of the season
Yan Diomande during the Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig.
An update about Liverpool's reported interest in Yan Diomande has come to light(Image: Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP via Getty Images)
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Arne Slot appears set to remain at Liverpool's helm heading into the summer and beyond, with significant rebuilding work required on his underperforming side. The reigning Premier League champions have endured a deeply disappointing campaign, despite substantial investment of £450million last summer.
Identifying the precise root of the Reds' struggles has proved no straightforward task. One notable concern is that Luis Diaz, who departed for Bayern Munich last summer, has yet to be adequately replaced.
Liverpool now face the prospect of losing two club icons in Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson when the season draws to a close. Their imminent departures, combined with the continuing search for a Diaz replacement and the pressing need to address weaknesses at midfield and full-back, suggest an enormously busy summer lies ahead for Slot and his backroom staff.
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Today's latest news sees a highly sought-after striker linked with a move to Anfield, while the club are said to have distanced themselves from a long-standing transfer target.
Reds chase £75m forward
RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa has reportedly emerged as a Liverpool target ahead of the summer window. Nusa may not yet be a familiar name to the Anfield faithful, but the 21-year-old has made his mark since joining Leipzig in 2024, registering five goals and four assists in 34 appearances this season.
The i Paper suggests that the Reds, while maintaining an interest in alternative options, have set their sights on Nusa. The report states: "They are prepared to commit up to £75m to sign RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande, with Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain another possible target. Antonio Nusa, who primarily plays on the left, is another on Liverpool's radar."
Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig) looks on during the 1. Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Mainz 04 at Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany on January 31, 2026. (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Antonio Nusa is courting interest from several clubs(Image: NurPhoto, NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Primarily operating as a left-winger, the Norwegian talent is capable of featuring across the attacking positions and has occasionally deployed in the number ten role. While Nusa is believed to be attracting attention from the Reds, should he impress at this summer's World Cup, his valuation could climb even higher.
Completing a deal could prove challenging. He is understood to have attracted interest from Arsenal, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Tottenham, Milan, Napoli and Atletico Madrid.
Questions emerge over £85m man
The focus on Nusa may be linked to the unexpected development that the Reds might have stepped back from a reported long-standing target.
While Nusa's RB Leipzig colleague, Yan Diomande, has been the subject of considerable discussion amongst Liverpool supporters regarding potential arrivals for some time, the club have reportedly withdrawn from pursuing the winger.
According to Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele, Liverpool harbour serious reservations about the 19-year-old's output. The reporter has said: "Liverpool are just a bit unsure whether to trigger an £85 million-ish fee for a player who in the grand scheme of things, is relatively unproven. His numbers aren't that good. They're not like jump off the screen good."
Diomande, who represents Ivory Coast at international level, has contributed 13 goals and nine assists in 35 appearances for the Bundesliga club this season.
LEIPZIG, GERMANY - APRIL 24: Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig in action during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin at Red Bull Arena on April 24, 2026 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Liverpool have been linked with a move for Yan Diomande this summer.(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
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Yet his hefty price tag, coupled with his age and Liverpool's desire for a proven quantity when it comes to finding Salah's successor, suggests that what appeared to be a nailed-on transfer could actually fall wide of the mark.
Red Bull chief Oliver Mintzlaff has also insisted that only a huge fee could force his team to release Diomande, making any deal difficult to pull off.
"I can say: If I were sporting director, I wouldn't sell this young player, who hasn't even completed a full season with us," he told Sky Germany. "No matter what price is being asked. I believe he's a player who can still develop further, because he's still very young. And he can certainly become more expensive."