A marquee star wanted by Liverpool has revealed that Crystal Palace once passed up the opportunity to sign him after a trial in south London.
Palace are still riding the wave of their remarkable Conference League triumph after Wednesday night’s victory over Rayo Vallecano, a result that secured the club’s first-ever European trophy and capped off one of the most memorable periods in their history.
Crystal Palace celebrate scoring against Shakhtar
The celebrations around Selhurst Park have reflected just how significant the achievement was.
Palace have spent years trying to establish themselves as more than a mid-table Premier League side, and lifting European silverware has now pushed the club into completely new territory.
Even with attention focused on the present success, there is also renewed interest in some of the transfer decisions Palace made in the past — including one involving a player now being reliably linked with a massive move to Liverpool.
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The Eagles have expressed an interest.
RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande has emerged as one of the hottest young talents in Europe following a standout season in Germany.
The 19-year-old’s rapid rise has attracted interest from several elite clubs, and according to The Telegraph, Liverpool now view him as their leading option to replace Mohamed Salah.
Reports have suggested a deal could eventually cost as much as £130 million.
Yan Diomande for RB Leipzig
That development has inevitably brought renewed focus to Diomande’s earlier career, and specifically to a trial spell with Crystal Palace that never resulted in a transfer.
Yan Diomande makes Crystal Palace reveal amid Liverpool interest
In an interview with Foot, as transcribed by Sport Witness, Diomande explained that Palace were one of several English clubs to look at him before his breakthrough.
“So, I had trials, first in Scotland, if I remember correctly, Glasgow Rangers.
“Then at Chelsea, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Olympiacos. They all went well on the pitch. At Chelsea, I even spoke with Mauricio Pochettino.
“But then, I don’t know what happened, it didn’t work out.
"So, after my last trial in Greece, I left my agent and told him, 'That’s it, we’re done.'
“I called the president of Leganés and went there to sign a professional contract. I was still a minor, but I was approaching 18.”
At the time, those missed opportunities would barely have registered outside youth scouting circles.
Now, however, they look very different given how quickly Diomande’s reputation has exploded.
The winger has become one of Leipzig’s standout attacking players and is now viewed as one of the most exciting young wide forwards in Europe.
Diomande bagged 12 goals and nine assists in 33 Bundesliga outings before the end of 25/26, making his £17m fee from Leganes last year seem like chump change.
yan-diomande-rb-leipzig
His pace, direct running and ability in one-against-one situations have drawn comparisons with several elite-level attackers, while his output this season has only increased interest from top clubs.
Liverpool’s interest underlines just how highly he is now rated.
Replacing Salah is viewed internally as one of the biggest challenges facing the club over the next few years, with the Egyptian bidding farewell to Anfield after an historic spell on Merseyside.
For Palace supporters, the story may create mixed feelings.'
RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande
On one hand, the club are currently enjoying the greatest moment in their history after European success. On the other, Diomande’s comments are a reminder of how fine the margins can be in recruitment, especially when dealing with teenage talent.
Still, Palace’s current progress also shows how far the club have come in their own right.
Winning the Conference League has changed perceptions externally, and their growing ambition means they are increasingly competing in markets they may previously have struggled to access.
As for Diomande, his career has accelerated dramatically since those early trials in England. What once looked like a missed opportunity at Palace may soon become one of the biggest transfer stories in Europe if Liverpool decide to push ahead with a move worth well into nine figures.
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