Diomande in Leipzig — Move to Real Not Yet Finalized

As expected by RB Leipzig, rising star Yan Diomande showed up at the training academy on Monday morning along with the other World Cup players. The 19-year-old Ivorian completed the mandatory fitness tests with the Bundesliga club alongside World Cup returnees such as David Raum, even though the transfer to Real Madrid is reportedly finalized for the Ivorian and his advisors. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also reported this. According to dpa, however, nothing has been finalized at RB Leipzig yet, and many details are reportedly still up in the air.

Diomande is expected to join the storied Spanish club Real Madrid for more than 100 million euros and sign a long-term contract there running through the summer of 2031. Neither club has confirmed the report. Leipzig wanted to keep the speedy winger for at least one more season. Even during the World Cup, the club had rejected an offer from Liverpool FC worth 100 million euros in transfer fees. Real’s first offer at that amount was also rejected.

Paris Criticizes Transfer Fee and Salary Demands

Diomande’s agents, Roc Nation Sports, did not back down. They are seeking a quick agreement after also offering the player to Paris Saint-Germain. According to reports, the parties agreed on the terms of a contract running through 2031. On Sunday evening, PSG then walked away from the negotiations in frustration. “The requested transfer fee and salary demands were completely disproportionate,” the club said in a statement. Now Real Madrid is the (only) destination.

Most recently, it became apparent that the two-time DFB Cup champion would be willing to budge from its stance and let Diomande go if an offer of at least 120 million euros in transfer fees were made. The profit margin is simply too tempting for a teenager who arrived in Leipzig a year ago from Spanish first-division relegated side CD Leganés for 20 million euros.

Diomande would thus become the Saxons’ record transfer. Until now, Josko Gvardiol’s 2023 move to Manchester City (90 million transfer fee) had been considered the most expensive departure in the club’s history. Last year, Benjamin Sesko transferred to Manchester United for around 76 million euros. 

Diomande would also be the most expensive transfer of an African player. Until now, the record was held by Ivorian Nicolas Pépé, who moved from Lille to Arsenal in 2019 for a transfer fee of 80 million euros.