Liverpool’s chances of signing Yan Diomande have been set at zero for quite some time, with the news that Real Madrid are now rivalling Paris Saint-Germain for the forward having no effect on whether the Ivorian will end up at Anfield.
According to reports in Germany, Manchester City are also now in the mix for Diomande, and while it is not impossible that Liverpool push again, there seems to be little point in doing so.
As a result, the Reds must look elsewhere. Madrid’s Diomande pursuit may make Bradley Barcola less likely to leave PSG, though, meaning the list of potential targets is growing shorter all the time for Richard Hughes.
Who should Liverpool’s new top target be after being rejected by Yan Diomande?
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Nevertheless, there are some players out there who could be worth taking a risk on. One of those is Koln’s Said El Mala, who has already been named as a forward who Liverpool have assessed as a Diomande alternative.
According to German reporter Philipp Hinze, RB Leipzig like the look of El Mala as well, but as the Bundesliga side prepare for a big windfall over Diomande, Liverpool can swoop in and snatch the German ahead of them, potentially saving themselves a chunk of cash in the meantime.
RB Leipzig eyeing move for Said El Mala
Leipzig’s recruitment team have shown over and over again that they know exactly how to spot a player who is heading for the top. They have done it again with Diomande having plucked him as a virtual unknown from Leganes, and, though he is much more established right now, they will plan on doing the same with El Mala.
“RB Leipzig still lying in wait at El Mala, without a written offer having been submitted so far,” Hinze posted to X on Saturday.
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“Player remains very interesting for RB. Question of price. BVB [Dortmund] still ahead of Leipzig at El Mala. Open, what happens with Diomande & whether anything shifts in case of a departure. RB stays observing.”
Officially, Leipzig always seem to have maintained that they want to keep Diomande, but it is fairly clear that they must also plan for a potential departure. But as they wait for the likes of Madrid and City to make what they deem to be an acceptable offer for the 19-year-old, Liverpool can pounce.
El Mala could explode like Diomande
Given their age, their positions and their styles of play, it is easy to make a comparison between El Mala and Diomande, and, fascinatingly, the German cleared his age-mate in terms of goals last season.
Though they both scored 13 in all competitions, El Mala’s all came across 34 Bundesliga appearances, while Diomande scored 12 in 33.
Diomande appears to be the more decisive player in terms of assists, comfortably beating El Mala eight to four in that respect – with a further set-up added in the DFB Pokal.
Nevertheless, their stats are largely comparable, and if that makes Diomande a £100m+ player, then it makes the Koln man an absolute steal for whoever gets him. He is not going to cost anything approaching Diomande’s price-tag, and Liverpool must capitalise on that and bet on raw potential while they still can. The upside is enormous.
If they leave El Mala for Leipzig, it would not be a surprise if they came back looking for him in a year or two, when his value has sky-rocketed.
With the market going in the direction it currently is, it is clear by now that Liverpool are not going to have all their boxes ticked on their new winger signing, but they cannot afford to do nothing. The Reds must gamble, and in going for a player who may end up exploding at Leipzig otherwise, they could still be on to a winner.
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