A transfer update shared by Fabrizio Romano on Saturday morning could have significant implications for Liverpool, considering its potential domino effect.
The Reds had been strongly linked with a move for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande throughout June, until it was reported that the Ivory Coast international’s preference was to join Paris Saint-Germain.
The Merseysiders have since appeared to switch their attention to PSG forward Bradley Barcola, who Romano has frequently cited as the ‘top’ summer transfer target at Anfield, but that pursuit may yet be impacted by matters elsewhere.
The Italian transfer reporter took to X at 9am this morning to report that Diomande ‘has opened doors’ to a potential move to Real Madrid after ‘positive talks took place over contract terms’.
Jose Mourinho’s side are now expected to go back to Leipzig with an improved offer after their initial proposal amounting to €100m (£85.4m) was rejected by the Bundesliga club.
PSG have maintained contact ‘for weeks’ in their own attempts to land the 19-year-old, but no club-to-club deal has yet been struck.
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Real Madrid wading into the hunt for Diomande could spell bad news for Liverpool, and not just because of the Reds’ prior interest in the player being set to count for nothing.
If Los Blancos were to beat PSG to the punch for the Ivory Coast winger, that could see the Champions League holders take an even more hardline stance on Barcola, who they already value in excess of £125m (L’Equipe).
In turn, LFC’s chances of signing the France international would appear meagre, and we could well be looking at a scenario whereby neither of them end up at Anfield once the transfer window shuts.
Andoni Iraola has been vocal about his desperation for Liverpool to recruit another winger this summer, and if that request goes unfulfilled, it’d be a terrible indictment of the Merseyside hierarchy not to back the head coach when he’s been so transparently crying out for reinforcements.
Ideally the Reds would manage to sign either Diomande or Barcola (the latter seems more likely), but right now we’d take an alternative like Maghnes Akliouche over no further wide attackers being recruited.
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This is the problem that Liverpool have encountered a number of times under FSG put your eggs in one basket or two and come up short. They simply cannot to ignore address issues re replacing the position occupied by Salah, If you fail to prepare you prepare to fail and the omens do not look good many teams have reinforced their squads Liverpool have not!
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