Yan Diomande, a 19-year-old forward from RB Leipzig (under contract until 2030) and the Ivory Coast national team, was reported to be very close to joining Paris Saint-Germain during the transfer window. However, PSG ultimately moved on, deterred by a complicated situation regarding agents and Leipzig’s massive asking price. In the end, the Ivorian international signed with Real Madrid.
This comes as no surprise; the transfer had seemed imminent for several days. According to various sources, Real Madrid went as high as €140 million—including bonuses (125+15)—to finalize the deal. It is a massive sum, just as President Florentino Pérez had promised, even if this wasn’t necessarily the player people had in mind during the presidential elections.
In any case, PSG was unwilling to go that high—a decision that is understandable, given that the figure exceeds the combined fees paid for Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Nevertheless, all eyes will inevitably be on Diomande’s career; he is a talented player whom PSG had targeted.
