Liverpool have spent weeks chasing one player above all others this summer.
Two bids submitted.
Both rejected.
A fee that had already reached £100 million.
And now, the most damaging news of all.
Yan Diomande has chosen PSG.
Yan Diomande chooses PSG over Liverpool in pursuit of Ballon d’Or ambitions
According to The Athletic, David Ornstein reports that Yan Diomande has made his preference clear, the 19-year-old has decided PSG is his preferred destination should he leave RB Leipzig this summer.
He believes in the project in Paris.
And he wants to play for Luis Enrique.
Crucially, he sees PSG as the club that gives him the best opportunity to consistently compete for trophies and, in his own words, potentially become a future Ballon d’Or winner.
It’s a brutal blow for Andoni Iraola.
Diomande had been identified as the primary target to replace Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool opened with a €100 million bid, however it was rejected.
A second bid worth €116 million followed.
That was rejected too.
However, Leipzig are holding out for a figure closer to €130-148 million.
The latter representing a new Bundesliga record for biggest sale.
And now the player they’re arguing over has made his own position clear.
PSG have not yet made a formal bid to Leipzig.
But with the player’s preference now confirmed, the Parisian club are expected to open formal negotiations.
Knowing that Liverpool’s leverage in this race has been significantly reduced.
For Liverpool, the recruitment team must now pivot quickly.
Diomande’s preference for Paris could ironically open a door for the Barcola pursuit, with PSG potentially using the Diomande signing as justification for a Barcola sale.
For now, though, the headline is clear.
Liverpool have lost the race for the player they wanted more than anyone else this summer.
And the replacement for Mohamed Salah still hasn’t been found.
Want to get the latest transfer news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
