Barcelona made an enquiry for 19-year-old winger before €120 million Real Madrid move | OneFootball

Yan Diomande’s move to Real Madrid now appears to be only a matter of time. Although the transfer has not yet been officially confirmed, Los Blancos are close to reaching an agreement with RB Leipzig for the 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger.

The deal could be closed for a fee of around €120 million, with the attacker set to sign a five-year deal until 2021.

However, before Real Madrid accelerated negotiations, Barcelona had also gathered information about Diomande, reports Mundo Deportivo.

Barcelona made an enquiry

Indeed, as per the report, Barcelona representatives contacted RB Leipzig’s hierarchy to enquire about the player’s availability, taking advantage of the strong relationship established during the transfer of Dani Olmo.

Barcelona showed some interest in Diomande. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

However, the German club’s response was unequivocal. Leipzig had no intention of selling a player they had only recently signed unless an extraordinary offer arrived.

Club officials even indicated that any potential transfer would require a fee exceeding €100 million.

Barcelona never considered paying such an amount, and events have since surpassed those initial expectations, with Real Madrid now prepared to spend considerably more.

Barcelona met the player’s representatives

Barcelona also held meetings with Diomande’s representatives in April and May. At the time, the winger was enjoying an impressive Bundesliga campaign, contributing 13 goals and 10 assists in 36 appearances.

However, after Leipzig’s firm refusal to negotiate, the La Liga champions shifted their focus elsewhere.

Diomande is Real Madrid-bound. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The club initially explored extending Marcus Rashford’s stay before ultimately choosing to sign Anthony Gordon, who joined for €70 million plus a further €10 million in performance-related bonuses.

More interest in Diomande

Following Barcelona’s enquiries, Diomande was also linked with Atletico Madrid. Once the season had finished, the winger received offers from clubs in both the Premier League and Ligue 1.

PSG reached an agreement with the player but were unable to complete negotiations with RB Leipzig. Real Madrid then entered the race with an offer that Leipzig are now close to accepting.

As for Barcelona, they managed to sign a player like Gordon, who comes with more experience and pedigree, and also add another versatile forward in Karim Adeyemi for a sum lower than what Real Madrid are spending on Diomande.