One of the biggest transfer sagas of the early summer has been Liverpool's pursuit of RB Leipzig and Ivory Coast's 19-year old winger, Yan Diomande. Those talks hit the next level on Thursday.
With Mohamed Salah leaving Anfield after a glorious time with the Reds, there was no secret that the right side of the attack needed to be addressed as a priority. The surprise and sudden move to sign Spain international Victor Muñoz appears to be the first part of the plan.
Liverpool triggered his €40 million release clause with Osasuna and instantly secured personal terms. They wish things could be that easy on the Diomande front. As it were, both Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein gave updates on the saga.
Liverpool ready to pay big money again
According to Ornstein, the Reds are willing to pay a package approaching €100 million for Diomande. This would include add-ons, and not be a straight fee.
Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards believe the Reds are the frontrunner for the Ivory Coast winger, but they need to adjust a bit more to get a deal over the line.
Following last summer's spending spree that saw two players, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, each arrive at Anfield for well over £100 million each, there was a belief that the club would be more controlled in their expenditure this summer. That is where the Muñoz move makes sense from a financial perspective.
However, a dismal 2025/26 campaign and the firing of Arne Slot and subsequent hiring of Andoni Iraola might have shifted some of the thinking at the club.
They are now eager to get a deal over the line, and will surely be cashing in on the years of goodwill built up with Leipzig that saw players like Konate, Keita and Szoboszlai make the switch from Germany to England.
RB Leipzig rejects latest Liverpool offer
Despite the Reds showing a willingness to open the coffers once again, Leipzig have held firm in their valuation of Diomande.
Per Fabrizio Romano, they flatly rejected the above bid approaching €100 million, as he reports they are holding out to a number closer to €120 million. That number could also rise if the player continues to shine at the World Cup.
Yan Diomande was the Man of the Match in Ivory Coast's tournament opener, as he was the focal point of their attack. A few more showings like that and Leipzig will be in very strong standing at the negotiating table.
This was a concern I had before the tournament began, as the 'playing well on a global stage' tax can get quite large, especially for already hot commodities.
In addition, Romano states that the Bundesliga side expect PSG and other clubs to join the fray as well, which would only elevate the bidding war for the player. That is worst-case for Liverpool.
Liverpool knows what they have to do, will they do it?
The picture is crystal clear right now for the Reds. If they see Diomande as the crown jewel of the summer transfer window and a future face of the attack, they must pony up the money for him.
Victor Muñoz is a nice signing, and I think he'll be a good player for Liverpool, but he is not at Diomande's level at this time. The Reds could look at other options such as Bradley Barcola for a bit cheaper, but my gut tells me they would not have gone this far if they didn't have the Ivorian at the top of their list.
Do they have the courage to shell out near record breaking money once again? That remains to be seen. However, this is the business of football now, especially in a World Cup cycle where your transfer target is shining on the biggest stage.
Yan Diomande and Victor Muñoz would be a very strong, dynamic and perhaps most importantly young, duo on the right side of attack for years to come.
Liverpool understands where they need to go in these talks. Now it's a matter of actually taking that next step once more and getting a deal over the line for their main target of the window.
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