Liverpool are moving at pace in the transfer market as the club prepares for a significant new chapter at Anfield following Arne Slot’s dismissal. Sporting director Richard Hughes is reportedly working urgently behind the scenes to secure a deal for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off on June 11.
The push for Diomande comes as Fenway Sports Group shift their full attention toward rebuilding the squad under new management. Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is now understood to be overwhelmingly the frontrunner to succeed Slot, having reportedly rebuffed advances from both Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen. The Spaniard is said to have made Liverpool his clear priority, with sources indicating he has effectively already committed to making the move to Anfield.
As the managerial picture nears resolution, recruitment is accelerating in parallel. According to TEAMtalk, Hughes is determined to make Diomande one of the defining early signings of the Iraola era, with Liverpool keen to finalise terms before the World Cup begins — believing a strong tournament could significantly inflate both the player’s value and the level of competition for his signature.
Initial discussions with the player’s representatives are already understood to be underway. The 19-year-old Ivory Coast international is said to be genuinely excited by the prospect of joining Liverpool, viewing the club as one of the game’s true heavyweights and welcoming the opportunity to be central to their rebuilding project.
Completing the deal will not come cheap, however. RB Leipzig are reported to be demanding at least €100 million for the teenager and have no intention of letting him leave on easy terms, regarding him as one of the most gifted young attacking talents on the continent. Despite that price tag, FSG are reportedly willing to meet Leipzig’s valuation if required. Should the deal go through at that figure, Diomande would become the most expensive Ivorian player in football history — eclipsing Nicolas Pepe’s €80 million move from Lille to Arsenal back in 2019.
Internally, Liverpool view Diomande as the long-term heir to Mohamed Salah on the right flank. The Egyptian’s relationship with Slot reportedly soured throughout the season, and he has since confirmed he will depart the club this summer. Club officials believe Diomande has the pace, technical quality, and unpredictability to eventually grow into one of Europe’s elite wide attackers.
The player himself has been candid about his ambitions. In a recent interview, Diomande acknowledged awareness of the speculation surrounding him and made clear that competing at the very highest level in Europe is a central part of his career goals — without directly naming Liverpool as his preferred destination.
His route to the top, however, was far from straightforward. Before breaking through at Leipzig, the winger had trials at several clubs including Rangers, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Olympiacos. He has spoken about meeting Mauricio Pochettino during his time at Chelsea and performing well across those spells — yet a permanent deal never arrived. Eventually, the cycle of trials without contracts left him close to giving up the pursuit altogether. After a final trial in Greece, he told his agent he wanted to stop moving around and instead committed to signing professionally with Leganés, choosing stability over uncertainty. That decision proved to be the turning point that ultimately led to his move to Leipzig.
Now, just a few years on, Diomande finds himself at the centre of one of the summer’s most significant transfer stories. If Liverpool succeed, it would signal a bold and ambitious start to what could become a transformative new era at Anfield.
