How Liverpool could sign their answer to Yan Diomande for just £43m

It is no secret that Liverpool are looking to make a marquee addition to their attack this summer after Mohamed Salah left on a free transfer at the end of last season.

The Reds want to add more firepower to Andoni Iraola‘s attacking options and they were eyeing up a move to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig last month.

Liverpool were said to be one of a number of clubs in the race to sign the Ivorian winger and had an offer turned down by the German side for his signature.

He subsequently sealed a mammoth £120m transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid earlier this month, which has left Iraola’s team looking at alternative options on the wing.

Why Liverpool made the right decision on Yan Diomande

Diomande would, of course, have been an exciting addition to the squad after he scored 13 goals and provided nine assists in 36 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig in the 2025/26 campaign.

The versatile forward, who can play on the right or the left flank, has the potential to deliver consistent quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Real Madrid, which is why they were willing to agree a deal worth up to £120m for his services.

On the flip side of that, though, a £120m deal for Diomande is incredibly risky because the 19-year-old has only played one full season of regular first-team football and is yet to play a single minute of European action, in the Conference League, Europa League, or Champions League.

The teenage forward does not have a big body of evidence to prove that last season was more than a flash in the pan, which is why Real Madrid’s staggering deal to sign him is a risky move.

Liverpool were right not to take that risk after they already made £241m for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak last term, as they may be better off going cheaper or signing a star who has proven more in their career.

Liverpool pursuing deal for their own Yan Diomande

Now, FSG are looking at a move for a player who could arrive at Anfield this summer as Iraola’s own version of Diomande, whilst costing a fraction of the price.

Football Insider reports that Liverpool are preparing a swoop to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Ibrahim Mbaye before the end of the summer transfer window.

The outlet claims that the Senegal international is very keen on a switch to Anfield because he wants to test himself in the Premier League, reporting that he has had his head turned by the prospect of joining the club.

It adds that the Red are now in pole position to sign the 18-year-old attacker ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, who are also eyeing him up, because of the player’s desire to make the move to Merseyside.

REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

FSG must, now, make an official approach to sign the PSG attacker, who is valued at £43m by the Champions League champions, because he could be their own version of Diomande.

The 18-year-old has not had a season as good as Diomande’s 2025/26 campaign was, as he has not had too many opportunities at PSG behind the likes of Desire Doure, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Ousmane Dembele, but he has shown signs of having huge potential, notably described as “the next Kylian Mbappe” in France by reputable outlet GOAL.

Mbaye scored three goals and provided two assists in just ten starts in Ligue 1 last term for PSG, which meant that he ranked highly among his positional peers in a host of per 90 metrics.

He also has experience in the Champions League, playing four times in the competition last season as his side won the trophy, and knows what it takes to deliver under pressure on the biggest stage.

The 18-year-old winger, who also scored against France for Senegal at the World Cup this summer, showed that he can be effective with limited minutes on the pitch.

Now, imagine how effective he could be if given the chance to start week-in-week-out at Liverpool, in the same way that Diomande was able to with Leipzig.

The £43m-rated forward, who can play on either flank, produced 15 goals and 19 assists in 37 appearances for PSG’s U19s before making his first-team breakthrough, which shows that he has Diomande-esque potential as a scorer and a creator of goals.

For the reported valuation of £43m, much less than the £120m for Diomande, this could be a deal that is worth taking a risk on because of what he has shown for PSG, as well as on the international stage for Senegal, with four goals in 15 caps.

The 18-year-old could be Iraola’s own version of Diomande by coming through the door as a versatile winger who can play on either side and provide quality with goals and assists on a regular basis, if he can adapt to playing regulary at Anfield.