Liverpool among four clubs set to avoid Florian Wirtz issue for £87m ‘immense talent’
RB Leipzig’s stance on the future of Yan Diomande could benefit his Premier League suitors.
That is the view of European football journalist Andy Brassell as interest grows in the 19-year-old winger.
Liverpool are one of a number of clubs who have been credited with an interest in the Ivory Coast international.
The likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea have also monitored the teenager this season, talkSPORT understands.
Diomande only joined Leipzig from Leganes for £17.3million in the summer, though, signing a five-year deal through to 2030.
As a result, the Bundesliga outfit have no plans to sell their emerging talent.
Instead, Diomande will not be available this month or in the summer unless an exceptional offer is made, according to The Athletic.
Leipzig currently value Diomande, who spent just six months at Leganes after leaving US-based DME Academy, at £87million.
Diomande boost for Premier League clubs
Their reluctance to sell will allow Premier League clubs to avoid the ‘teething problems’ seen by another recent Bundesliga import, says Brassell.
The Reds signed Florian Wirtz for a British record £116.5million fee from Bayer Leverkusen ahead of this season.
However, he has scored just two goals and added two assists in 19 Premier League appearances for the club.
Brassell has therefore urged those eyeing Diomande to make the most of having to wait to secure his signature.
The extra time he will have to develop is seen as an advantage in the long run and is aided by the choice of club he currently stars for.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Brassell explained: “We’ve seen even players with greater experience, like Florian Wirtz for example, someone who is really used to managing games in the Bundesliga, has taken a while to adapt to the Premier League.
“So to me, even if it’s going to cost Premier League clubs a little bit more to leave him where he is for the moment, wait for him to continue on this trajectory and then buy him, I think to save teething problems is probably worth it.
“There is no better club to develop a young footballer than RB Leipzig. They do it again and again and again.
“So even if you do pay that little bit more for him, if you’re Spurs or Liverpool or whoever else, buying him in 18 months’ time as opposed to buying him now, you will be paying for having excellent work done on him.
“For him being so much more ready for the Premier League. And I’m sure he will be because he’s an immense talent.”
Since joining Leipzig, Diomande has scored seven goals and added four assists in 16 appearances across all competitions.
His heroics have helped the club find themselves fourth in the Bundesliga approaching the halfway stage of the campaign.
Although they trail runaway league leaders Bayern Munich considerably, Leipzig remain in the mix for a Champions League return thanks in part to Diomande.
The forward made the perfect start to life in Germany with a debut goal against Sandhausen in the DFB Pokal in August.
He followed that effort up by scoring in three consecutive Bundesliga matches across October and November in clashes with Augsburg, Stuttgart and Hoffenheim.
His most recent efforts saw Diomande grab a hat-trick in a 6-0 thrashing of Frankfurt last month.
Leipzig are currently without his services, though, with their summer signing on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Diomande scored his first goal of the tournament in Ivory Coast’s last 16 triumph over Burkina Faso.
The Elephants face Egypt in the quarter-finals next as they look to add to their three previous AFCON triumphs.
Ivory Coast will also appear at the World Cup for a fourth time this summer, facing Ecuador, Germany and Curacao in the group stage.
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