Report: RB Leipzig Reject Huge Liverpool Bid for Diomande
Liverpool are ready to spend big in pursuit of the heir to Mohamed Salah’s Anfield throne.
Even with a $45 million (€40 million, £34.5 million) deal for Osasuna winger Víctor Muñoz in the process of being finalized, the Reds don’t appear to be stopping there. Sky Germany’s Philippe Heinze reports an offer of $115 million (€100 million, £86.9 million) for RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande has been knocked back.
Leipzig, for their part, do not want to sell Diomande and are actively trying to tie him down to a new contract. To begrudgingly agree to a sale, the German side are prepared to demand “significantly more” than the initial proposal from Liverpool, whose offer is believed to have been made more to “test the waters” than with any genuine hope of success.
The Daily Mail state Liverpool are set to return with an improved bid, and the Reds are likely to be in a rush to do so, with Leipzig watching Diomande’s performances at the World Cup with a view to raising his price tag even further.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, Leipzig’s plan has worked perfectly so far.
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How Has Diomande Performed at 2026 World Cup?
Yan Diomande shone in Côte d’Ivoire’s World Cup opener. / Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Diomande’s campaign with Côte d’Ivoire is only one game old, but he has already made strides in justifying the hype with which he entered the World Cup.
A 1–0 win over Ecuador may not sound exciting on paper, but it was a thoroughly entertaining affair headlined by Diomande’s lightning-fast feet and electric dribbling.
No player had more touches in the opposition box than Diomande (12), while his total of five chances created was another game-high as he tormented an Ecuador side that, with the likes of PSG’s Willian Pacho and Arsenal’s Piero Hincapié in its back line, prides itself on its defense.
Leipzig officials will be licking their lips at the prospect of this form continuing, hoping to ride the wave of momentum created by Diomande all the way to the bank—potentially in the form of a deal that would rival Florian Wirtz’s €150 million move to Liverpool last summer.
Diomande’s Stellar World Cup Outing
| Metric | Yan Diomande |
|---|---|
| Minutes Played | 90 |
| Chances created | 5 |
| Dribble success | 67% (4/6) |
| Touches in opposition box | 12 |
| Expected goals and assists (xG + xA) | 0.54 |
| Ground duels won | 73% (11/15) |
Crucially, it is believed that Liverpool and Leipzig have a strong relationship—the presence of former Reds manager Jürgen Klopp in the Red Bull hierarchy only further strengthening that rapport—and amicable negotiations are expected to continue.
Leipzig have, historically, always been willing to sell for the right price, although a recent tweak to their approach has seen the German side try to retain its star players on a new contract with the promise of a transfer the following year.
Benjamin Šeško, now of Manchester United, agreed to that proposal from Leipzig in the summer of 2024, raising his profile and ultimately earning a move to the Red Devils worth €85 million last summer.
Leipzig insist they do not want to sell Diomande, aiding their negotiating stance over a player already tied to the club until the summer of 2030. That determination to keep hold of the 19-year-old may only grow if he continues his current trajectory in North America.
