Liverpool's Pursuit of Yan Diomande: Second Bid Looms

Liverpool are preparing a second, heavyweight offer for Yan Diomande and remain convinced they can still land the RB Leipzig winger, even as frustration grows in the player’s camp over the pace of negotiations.

Liverpool’s Salah heir – but Leipzig won’t budge easily

Diomande has been identified as Liverpool’s clear, top-tier replacement for Mohamed Salah, whose nine-year Anfield era ended earlier this summer. The Ivorian is the man they want, the one they have locked onto to reshape their forward line.

Getting him out of Leipzig, though, is proving anything but straightforward.

Liverpool’s opening proposal – a package worth around €100m (£87m, $116m) – has already been knocked back. Leipzig’s stance is firm, and those close to the deal now believe the final fee may need to climb beyond the sum that took Ousmane Dembele to Barcelona in 2017, potentially setting a new Bundesliga record.

Liverpool, for their part, are not walking away. Far from it.

Player camp grows restless as talks drag on

Journalist Lewis Steele has outlined the mood around Diomande as the saga drags on longer than expected. The winger’s side had hoped the move would be tied up by now.

“I think there’s a little bit of frustration on the player’s side from what I’ve heard that it’s maybe taking a little bit longer than some people may have anticipated,” Steele said on his YouTube channel, referring directly to Diomande’s camp.

They had expected a quicker resolution. Now, according to Steele, they are “sort of resigned” to the possibility that the transfer could stretch beyond the World Cup, even if they accept that reality. The sense lingers, though, that a more forceful push from Liverpool’s owners, FSG, could accelerate everything and close the deal in days rather than weeks.

That tension – a player ready to move, a club unwilling to sell, and a buyer weighing how far to go – is now defining the story.

A “very aggressive” second bid on the way

Liverpool’s willingness to spend is not in doubt. After laying out around £440m (€505m, $600m) on new signings last summer, the club still has room to manoeuvre and intends to arm new head coach Andoni Iraola with the resources to remodel the squad.

The rebuild will not stop at one winger. Liverpool are assessing options for another wide player, a potential new striker, a central midfielder and multiple defensive reinforcements, particularly with questions in both full-back positions.

Yet Diomande remains the headline act. The one they want most.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has detailed how Liverpool are working relentlessly on the “player side” of the deal, trying to ensure Diomande is fully committed to the move and prepared to push Leipzig from within.

“It’s always the talk about the bid, the new bid, the next bid, but I believe that Liverpool are doing excellent work on the player side in order to get the green light and to have Diomande telling Leipzig, ‘let me go to Liverpool,’” Romano said. “So that’s what they’re doing, and that’s why I believe there is confidence at the club to get it done.”

Liverpool officials have been in close, regular contact with Diomande’s entourage since at least December, speaking almost daily about a summer switch. That groundwork is now being tested.

Romano has confirmed that Liverpool will return to the negotiating table with what has been described as a “very aggressive” second offer. The new bid will exceed €100m, a huge proposal designed to shift Leipzig’s position and force a decision.

Behind the scenes, Liverpool are also refining their contract offer – salary, terms, the full financial package – to secure Diomande’s commitment “100%” before going all-in with Leipzig.

Leipzig’s stance: keep Diomande now, cash in later

Leipzig, though, have their own plan.

According to Romano, the German club remain determined to keep Diomande and are prepared to respond with a lucrative new contract and a significant pay rise. The idea is clear: keep him for at least another season, let him play Champions League football with Leipzig, then revisit his future next summer when his value could be even higher and the market even more frenzied.

From Leipzig’s perspective, holding their nerve makes sense. From Liverpool’s, every week that passes risks unsettling their own summer strategy.

Alternatives on the radar – but Diomande is the prize

Liverpool are not blind to the possibility that Leipzig simply refuse to sell at any price they consider reasonable. Contingency plans exist. A Brighton winger is among the alternative options being tracked, while Iraola is also known to be a strong admirer of a PSG star who could be available for around £78m (€90m, $102m) in this window.

Those names, though, remain secondary. For now, everything points back to Diomande.

Liverpool are ready to spend big. The player’s camp is growing impatient. Leipzig are holding the line.

Something has to give.