Liverpool told they’ll miss out on £87m Diomande transfer – but domino effect to result in Plan B £80m signing

Liverpool have been warned to prepare for bad news over their lengthy pursuit of Yan Diomande after he was tipped to sign elsewhere amid an eye-watering World Cup-inflated asking price, with Andoni Iraola ultimately getting his hands on an £80m-rated alternative.

The Reds are in the market for an heir to the iconic Mohamed Salah on their right wing after the Egyptian departed Anfield at the end of the season.

After nine largely glorious years with Liverpool, FSG face one of their most difficult transfer tasks yet in signing his replacement in attack.

Nonetheless, TEAMtalk has led the way by exclusively revealing back in December that Diomande was their main target, and with the Merseysiders described by sources as being in almost daily contact for his services.

Now, with the summer window open for business and with the RB Leipzig star showcasing his talents on the global stage at the World Cup with Ivory Coast, the Reds are ready to intensify their efforts to get a deal for Diomande over the line.

However, the Reds are far from alone in their admiration and are also joined by PSG in the chase – and the two-time reigning European champions are being backed to beat their Premier League rivals to his signature.

Nonetheless, should the French side outmuscle the Reds to his signing, Gabby Agbonlahor has explained why he thinks the Reds could end up picking up the £80m-rated Bradley Barcola as a result.

Speaking to talkSPORT, the pundit explained: “When you’re that good at that age and you have so long left of your career, if you don’t get injured, of course, your price tag is going to be so much higher than a 24-year-old.

“I know he’s not proven amazingly yet, but last season Diomande scored 12 goals and had nine assists in the league for Leipzig; he’s 19 years of age.

“Over the season, he has 118 successful dribbles, 50 more than anyone else, and last night he made Hincapie look ordinary. He twisted him left, right and centre on the big stage…”

” I think he goes to PSG because of the way they’re performing at the moment, and PSG will let Barcola go to Liverpool because they don’t need that many wingers.

“Diomande would 100 per cent get straight in the team, and it looks like he would score more goals than Barcola; he likes to miss a lot of chances.

“Either way, Liverpool will get one of the two players, but PSG will want the 19-year-old.”

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Liverpool warned of massive new Yan Diomand transfer price

With Diomande picking up the Man of the Match award from Ivory Coast’s opener and with TEAMtalk well aware that, in an ideal world, Leipzig would prefer to avoid his sale for another season at least, it is expected that any deal will cost above and beyond the German side’s initial €100m (£86.5m, $116m) asking price.

Indeed, reports in Germany now claim his asking price is set to soar to €130m (£112m, $150m) this summer amid increased competition for his services, with the player already catching the eye at the World Cup.

And per Fussball Daten, the likes of Real Madrid are preparing to make a move of their own, while Manchester City and Bayern Munich continue to monitor his situation with intent.

Nonetheless, Ivory Coast’s coach Emerse Fae has insisted all transfer talk is being put on the backburner for the winger during the World Cup, despite dropping a telling hint that the 19-year-old could be Anfield-bound.

“When we were in France, during the preparation, journalists told me he was about to sign with PSG,” Fae said of Diomande after the Group E win over Ecuador on Sunday.

“Here, they tell me he’s about to sign with Liverpool!

“I don’t know, but for now, he will focus on the World Cup, and then afterwards, he can think about the rest of his career…”

After giving Hincapie the runaround, Fae said of the player: “Yan – what can I say? I can’t put it into words.

“He’s very talented, but beyond the talent, he’s very young, and he’ll improve.

“He’s a kid who works hard, has a real team spirit, laughs with everyone, and he listens, listens to the technical staff whenever he’s given advice, and tries to do his best, as he’s told.

“It’s easy to work with someone like Yan; he’s so talented and has what is needed, plus he can give you the victory and was a real challenge for Hincapié, a Champions League finalist.”

Given the figures involved, Liverpool are understandably looking at ways to reduce the cost of signing Diomande.

And one constructive avenue sources insist they could look to explore is a move to send Cody Gakpo in the opposite direction as part of a big-money swap deal.

Either way, Diomande himself seems eager to join the Reds amid claims the 19-year-old has now said yes to a move to Anfield.