Liverpool’s new winger search took a surprising turn on Friday night as Real Madrid entered the race strongly for Yan Diomande.
The Reds have long-since known that Diomande would not be joining them this summer, despite their attempts to bring him from RB Leipzig in June.
The 19-year-old had looked likely to be on the way to Paris Saint-Germain, but Madrid’s bid could now change things. The offer also raised eyebrows about the situation of Brazilian superstar Vinicius Jr, who has just one year left on his contract.
Who should Liverpool’s new top target be after being rejected by Yan Diomande?
This is a BIG blow to the Reds' summer plans 😓
Vinicius has been tentatively linked with Liverpool in the Spanish press, and with the move for Diomande suggesting that the 26-year-old may be on the way out, the door is potentially opening for the Reds. But what is the situation regarding Vinicius and Real Madrid, and how likely is a move away from the Spanish capital?
Vinicius’ exit is a possibility
Despite Brazil failing to impress at this summer’s World Cup, Vinicius was one of their better performers, scoring three goals and displaying the pace and unpredictability from wide which Liverpool have been sorely missing.
He comes with a certain amount of baggage, but the former Flamengo prodigy would be an exceptional signing for the Reds.
These kinds of superstars always feel unattainable, but as journalist Fabrizio Romano reported earlier in July, Madrid are ready to sell Vinicius if they cannot agree a contract extension this summer.
Los Blancos would still demand a huge fee for their No. 7, likely pushing past the £125m Liverpool spent on Alexander Isak in 2025.
Recent reports from Spain have claimed that Madrid and Vinicius are not anywhere near to an agreement, and with Diomande clearly in their sights, a departure seems to be moving closer.
Vinicius’ wages may be a problem for Liverpool
If it were down to footballing matters alone, it feels unlikely that Real would be interested in letting Vinicius leave at all. He has been one of their best players over the past five years, and, while he has potential, Diomande is not close to his level right now.
Nevertheless, Madrid’s issue in keeping the Brazil international is a financial one, and even with all of the Spanish club’s riches, satisfying Vinicius’ demands has proven to be difficult.
With wages currently reported to total around £20m per year, Vinicius is one of the best paid players in Europe.
In Liverpool terms, Virgil van Dijk is the Reds’ best earner at £18m per annum, but with Vinicius looking for an improvement on his Madrid salary, they would need to offer more than £20m to get to the table. That looks tricky.
Nevertheless, there are only a handful of clubs who Vinicius could realistically join if he wants to stay in Europe after leaving the Bernabeu, and Liverpool are one of them. Alternatively, a move to Saudi Arabia or even MLS could be an option, but for a player at the top of his game and in his prime, both divisions seem unlikely.
As a result, Vinicius may be forced to compromise a little if he is keen on staying at the top of the sport.
So, though it currently feels like an impossible dream, Diomande’s proposed move to Madrid and Los Blancos’ ongoing contract trouble may make Vinicius joining Liverpool slightly closer to reality than many would think.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
