19-year-old promises pace and unpredictability in wide areas but his cost could make a deal difficult
Liverpool have stepped up their pursuit of RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, making contact with the German club to enquire about the possibility of a deal.
The 19-year-old has been touted as the replacement for Mohamed Salah, who left the club at the end of last season. Leipzig have been insistent in the past that they do not wish to sell at the moment, and Diomande himself has given no indications that he is considering a move away from the club.
He only said during the season that links with the biggest clubs in the world were making him “happy and motivated to do more”.
“I don’t think about it too much because my focus is on the pitch,” Diomande said. “My job is playing football. That takes care of everything. But it gives me a lot of motivation to see people talking about me.”
But why do Liverpool want him, and what would he offer Andoni Iraola’s side?
Diomande has enjoyed a breakthrough season in Germany, scoring 13 goals and providing 10 assists in 36 appearances as Leipzig secured Champions League qualification. He appears to have the attributes to solve a few glaring problems for Liverpool.
The Premier League side lacked pace, unpredictability and consistent output in wide areas last season. Salah’s influence diminished significantly before his departure and Cody Gakpo is nowhere near the profile of player he was when he shone at the 2022 World Cup and convinced Liverpool to sign him from PSV Eindhoven. Youngster Rio Ngumoha showed promise but he is still at the beginning of his development.
Replacing Salah was always going to be the club’s biggest challenge this summer, and Diomande offers qualities that have convinced Anfield’s recruitment department that he could be their next big thing. He is comfortable on either foot and can operate across the front line, although he is most dangerous when playing as a winger and attacking defenders from those wide positions.
With his quick feet he can dribble to create openings, attack space directly or finish chances himself. The fact that he is versatile is also good for Liverpool, as it could give Iraola options in a forward line likely to change over the summer and next season.
Diomande is also highly athletic. He was among the Bundesliga’s fastest players this season and combines it with acceleration. He can stop and change speed almost instantly, which makes him a nightmare for defenders. The pace will be undoubtedly useful in the Premier League, and Liverpool have lacked an explosive player since Luis Diaz joined Bayern Munich last summer.
Beside Leipzig’s interest in selling, the obvious obstacle to signing the player this summer is cost. There is speculation that the German club will only be willing to sell if they received a free in the region of €130m. Liverpool are unlikely to spend this amount given their splurge last summer. Yet the club’s interest in Diomande shows their awareness that they need greater pace, creativity and threat on their flanks next season.
