Liverpool’s hopes of successfully defending their Premier League title have been realistically over for some time, with the Reds now finding themselves in a scrap for a Champions League spot.
As we approach the run-in, Arne Slot’s side are sixth in the table, but level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea and Manchester United in fifth, with all three clubs knowing how important a spot in next year’s Champions League will be when it comes to maximising their pull in the summer transfer market.
And while Liverpool dropped more than £450 million last summer, they are likely to enter this summer’s market needing to secure a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, who is in the final 18 months of his deal at Anfield and expressed his frustration at his role in the side back in December.
Liverpool ‘reach agreement’ with in-demand teen
Liverpool’s transfer policy in recent years has seen the club target European football’s most promising young players alongside established stars and Slot’s men may have pipped one of the continent’s heavyweights to another talented prospect.
RB Leipzig’s 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande has been turning heads this season following his €20 million summer move from Spanish LaLiga side Leganes, scoring nine goals and laying on seven assists for the Bundesliga team.
Some of Europe’s biggest sides have been monitoring the Ivory Coast international’s progress, including German champions Bayern Munich.
However, Vincent Kompany’s side reportedly fear that Liverpool have pipped them to the teenager, as Bayern Space report that the Anfield outfit already has an agreement in place for Diomande's signature.
Leipzig signed the Ivorian to a five-year contract in the summer, meaning they are not under pressure to sell the teenager, but could reportedly be ready to do business for a fee in the region of €100m.
Further reports have suggested that should Bayern miss out to Liverpool in the race for Diomande, they may look to sign Cody Gakpo as an alternative in the summer.
Diomande’s pace, movement and ability on the flanks means he would appear to tick the boxes that Liverpool would be looking for as their plans for life without Salah are stepped up and the club will no doubt be impressed with how quickly Diomande has adapted to the Bundesliga this term.
In FourFourTwo’s view, it should be no surprise that Diomande’s impressive debut season in the Bundesliga means that Europe’s big hitters are sniffing around the nine-time Ivory Coast international.
The teen is valued at €45m by Transfermarkt, but his contract length, potential and start to life in Germany mean that it would take far more than that to prize him from Leipzig.
That would mean a hefty outlay for Liverpool - but if they are convinced Diomande can continue to step up, he could be a compelling Salah replacement.
