Real Madrid have entered the race to sign Yann Diomande and are in talks with RB Leipzig over a potential deal for the 19-year-old striker.
Paris Saint-Germain remain interested in the Ivory Coast international, with Diomand favoring the European champions, but they have yet to show a willingness to offer a fee level that would persuade Leipzig to consider a sale this summer.
Madrid declaring their interest in signing Diomande has changed the striker’s situation and created competition for his signature.
Athletic On 24 June it was reported that Madrid were eyeing a player in an attacking position on the right flank in the event of Brahim Diaz’s departure this summer. The Moroccan international wants to stay in the Spanish capital, but the club is actively working on a deal to sign Diomande.
Diomande, who joined Leipzig from Spanish side Leganes a year ago, was also the subject of a bid from Liverpool earlier this summer, valued at close to €100m (£86.8m; $115m).
The German club were expecting a fee of around €130 million and were also trying to tie Diomande, whose current contract runs until the summer of 2030, to a new contract – and hope he will remain at the club beyond the summer window.
“Our clear intention is for Yann Diomande to play for RB Leipzig next year,” Marcel Schafer, the club’s managing director of sport, said of the winger’s future.
Madrid have been busy during the summer window following the return of Jose Mourinho as head coach, with Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries and Mark Cucurella signing contracts.
Earlier on Friday Athletic reported that the club is working on a deal to sign Rodri from Manchester City.
Madrid are eyeing a player in an attacking position on the right flank in the event of Brahim Diaz’s departure this summer. The Moroccan international wants to stay in the Spanish capital and Mourinho and the club consider him a valuable asset.
Diomande appeared in all four matches for Ivory Coast during the World Cup, helping his country reach the last 32 stage where they were eliminated by Norway.
Diomande scored 12 goals and provided nine assists in 33 Bundesliga matches last season (missing just one game due to the African Cup of Nations) as Leipzig finished third and qualified for next season’s Champions League.
He scored 12 goals and provided nine assists in 33 league matches, helping the German team finish third in the Bundesliga and qualify for the Champions League.
If he leaves, he would likely become Leipzig’s biggest purchase, surpassing the amount Manchester United paid for Benjamin Sexo in 2025 (€76.5m plus add-ons) or the €90m Manchester City paid the club to sign Josko Guardiola in 2023.
One of the most coveted talents on the planet
Analysis by football data writer Thomas Harris
Just 18 months ago, Diomande was playing football for DME Sports Academy in Florida. He’s currently impressing at this summer’s World Cup and is one of the most coveted players on the planet.
The Ivorian’s rise has been alarmingly rapid, as he forged his way through European football in a whirlwind of zigzags and emphatic finishes. It all started at Leganes in Spain, where he spent three months in the reserves after arriving from the US before making his professional debut against Real Madrid. His first goal soon followed, quickly backed up by impressive performances against Villarreal and Real Valladolid, games in which his prodigious dribbling ability became evident.
It only took 500 minutes of play to convince RB Leipzig to make their move, with Diomande continuing to flourish as the Bundesliga club’s main wing player. No player in Germany’s top flight attempted to tackle an opponent more often last season, and his success rate is the highest of any striker in Europe, with at least 50 tackle attempts. He is one of the few wide players in world football who truly combine quantity and quality on the wings.
Diomande had a great debut season for RB Leipzig (Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)
The 19-year-old’s quick feet and slender frame allow him to rush quickly in any direction, but Diomande’s dribbling also feels powerful and resilient when he is in full flow, able to leap from challenge to challenge and keep the ball moving forward at speed. This makes him a powerful weapon on the counter-attack, where his fluency in dribbling results in fluid strikes. He is able to move the ball quickly and generate power and accuracy with both feet.
This unpredictability was demonstrated during the Bundesliga meeting; he scored a late win against Borussia Mönchengladbach in early April with a shimmy and a powerful shot to his left, then opened the scoring away at Eintracht Frankfurt seven days later after a confused run, an inside shot and a curling right-hander.
Diomande has already adapted to the international stage, scoring three goals in 14 appearances for Ivory Coast, making his mark at the Africa Cup of Nations and helping his country progress from a difficult group including Germany and Ecuador at the World Cup.