Liverpool's Pursuit of Yan Diomande: The Heir to Salah’s Throne
Liverpool refuse to loosen their grip on Yan Diomande.
RB Leipzig have already slapped away a €100m package from Anfield, made their stance clear in public and private, and started talking pay rises and new terms with the teenager’s camp. Yet inside Liverpool, the mood is not defeatist. Far from it. There is a belief that this deal can still be dragged over the line.
This is not just any chase. This is about the man they want to follow Mohamed Salah.
The heir to Salah’s throne
Salah walked away at the end of the 2025/26 season, nine years, a mountain of goals and a legacy that will hang over any successor. Liverpool have decided Yan Diomande is worth that burden. At 19, he is their first choice, their big swing, the player they see stepping into the space the Egyptian left behind on the right.
The first offer – a total package of €100m (£87m, $116m) – was supposed to test Leipzig’s resolve. It did. They passed. Sources close to the talks have since indicated that it may take a fee beyond the current Bundesliga record to make the Germans blink.
For now, Leipzig are unmoved. Liverpool are undeterred.
A second bid is being prepared, heavier again, and expected to land on the Leipzig hierarchy’s desk this week. Fenway Sports Group are not walking away from this one without a fight.
Liverpool play the long game with Diomande
While the headlines circle around numbers, those close to the deal insist the real battle is happening elsewhere: with the player himself.
Fabrizio Romano, speaking on the Blood N Red podcast, lifted the lid on Liverpool’s approach. The club have been working Diomande’s side of the deal for months, not just days, leaning into relationships and constant dialogue rather than last-minute persuasion.
“I think the player side of this deal is still a bit underrated in terms of the media,” Romano said, pointing out that Liverpool are doing “excellent work” to secure Diomande’s approval and push him towards telling Leipzig he wants Anfield.
This is not new. Back in December, Liverpool officials were already in near daily contact with Diomande’s entourage, mapping out a summer move and selling the vision: the Salah role, the stage, the status.
The pressure is steady, not frantic. But it is constant.
Leipzig dig in – at a price
If Liverpool feel they are winning the player, Leipzig are making sure the market knows they will not be bullied on the fee.
Sky Germany’s Philipp Hinze laid out the club’s position in stark terms. The €100m package is gone, rejected without even a counter-demand. There is no formal asking price, just a clear message: only an offer “significantly above €100m” will force a rethink.
Inside the club, the logic is simple. No release clause. A rapidly rising market value. A 19-year-old with a long-term contract. Not untouchable, but expensive by design.
Leipzig are not just saying no. They are trying to close the door. Talks are active with Diomande’s representatives over a salary increase and an adjusted contract, a move to reward his rise and make staying put for at least one more season more attractive.
Champions League football in Leipzig now, then a blockbuster move later. That is their pitch.
PSG step aside, Liverpool step up
One obstacle has quietly moved away. PSG, previously in the race, have cooled their interest amid concerns over the escalating fee. Their withdrawal leaves Liverpool with a clearer run, at least in terms of direct competition.
The absence of PSG does not make Leipzig any softer, but it does sharpen Liverpool’s focus. With no other giant currently at the table, the Reds see an opportunity to push harder on both fronts: the bid and the player.
Sources insist Liverpool will press ahead with that second offer, emboldened by their understanding that Diomande himself is determined to make the move to Anfield. Romano backs that view, stating that Liverpool “will be back at the table for negotiation” and are doing everything they can financially to get the winger “on their side 100%”.
Leipzig, for their part, are still convinced the smart play is to keep him, give him a bigger salary, let him shine in the Champions League and revisit his future next summer. They believe time is on their side.
Liverpool disagree.
Romano is clear: Liverpool “will be very aggressive” and “will bid more than €100m.” A huge proposal is coming, aimed squarely at breaking Leipzig’s resistance and turning a hard no into a reluctant yes.
Barcola in the background, exits on the horizon
While Liverpool push hard for Diomande, they are not flying blind into a dead end. Alternative plans are already in motion.
One of those plans carries a familiar Parisian flavour. PSG winger Bradley Barcola is on the list, and Romano has described Liverpool’s “love” for the player. If Leipzig stand firm and Diomande proves unattainable, Barcola could quickly move from contingency to priority.
Either way, the message is clear: Liverpool intend to add a high-end attacking talent this summer.
And that has consequences. Should Diomande or Barcola arrive, a major departure from Liverpool’s forward line is expected. Tottenham Hotspur are watching closely and are readying a big-money, five-year contract for one of the Reds’ attackers, sensing that someone will be squeezed out once the new face walks through the door.
For now, all roads lead back to Leipzig, to Diomande, and to a negotiation that feels less like a transfer and more like a test of will. How much are Liverpool prepared to pay? How long can Leipzig hold their nerve? And which side blinks first in a market where €100m no longer guarantees you the answer you want?
