Yan Diomande has dealt Liverpool a major blow ahead of the summer transfer window, as he has now offered a definitive statement on his RB Leipzig future when speaking to German outlet Kicker.
It has long been rumoured behind the scenes that Liverpool wants to snap up the services of Yan Diomande ahead of a major summer transfer window rebuild on Merseyside.
Indeed, reports have consistently tipped the Reds to make a move for the standout Leipzig attacker, who has a weighty £80m valuation next to his name, which has put off the likes of Bayern Munich from making a move for the 19-year-old, allegedly.
Liverpool will no longer be seen as the frontrunners for the breakout Leipzig sensation, however, as Diomande has come out in a new interview with Kicker to dampen talk of him leaving the Red Bull Arena behind this summer.
Diomande’s bombshell transfer announcement
The exciting winger really would be a perfect successor to Mohamed Salah, as Salah prepares to line up for the Reds one last time at Anfield this coming weekend against Brentford.
Always wanting to break forward with pace and relentless speed, the teenage talent also has the goals and assists to back up his ascents up the pitch – like Salah – with this season alone seeing Diomande collect 13 goals and ten assists in all competitions, from 36 total appearances.
The expectation might well have been this summer that the nine-time Ivory Coast international would want to move on from his boyhood employers to test himself in a new, challenging environment, like Liverpool, but he has poured cold water over transfer rumours linking him with a move away from the Bundesliga.
When asked about whether he’ll remain as a Leipzig player next season, when speaking with Kicker, Diomande offered this one-word response.
He simply stated: “Yes”, before further saying: “I’m not thinking about that right now. I’m in Leipzig, and I enjoy playing here.”
The German outfit clinching Champions League football ahead of next season appears to be a key reason as to why he wants to remain put, as Liverpool now has to draft up alternative transfer plans when it comes to landing a sensational Salah successor.
Who could Liverpool target?
Bradley Barcola‘s name will still surely be top of the Reds’ shopping list in this regard, as the Paris Saint-Germain superstar has 13 goals and six assists next to his name this season for Luis Enrique’s Champions League finalists.
With reports suggesting that a move is ready to be greenlit, landing the services of Barcola would allow Liverpool to instantly get over Diomande’s rejection.
After all, having won three straight Ligue 1 titles and a Champions League honour in Paris, the 23-year-old could put the Reds back on the map as a Premier League title challenger again.
Alongside their continued interest in Barcola, Slot and Co. have further been tipped to make a move for rising AS Monaco star Maghnes Akliouche, as they search to fill Salah’s void effectively.
Liverpool has a huge summer ahead, when it comes to licking their wounds and going again ahead of the fresh 2026/27 season.
A clear priority will be to replace the firepower of Salah, and even if a move for Diomande is now dead in the water, other targets on the table could excite the Liverpool masses.
