Liverpool make strange Yan Diomande transfer decision that’ll leave them light again next season

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Empire of the Kop

·26 June 2026

Liverpool make strange Yan Diomande transfer decision that’ll leave them light again next season

Yan Diomande will be Liverpool’s final wide signing this summer if a deal with RB Leipzig is finalised.

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The Ivorian has been firmly on the Reds’ radar for much of the season, with the club understood to be prepared to bid beyond the £100m mark to seal his services.

The Bundesliga side themselves reportedly value their versatile winger at €130m (£112.2m).

Liverpool are happy with their potential wide options

According to James Pearce at The Athletic, the Merseysiders are prepared to nail down Diomande, Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha, and Victor Munoz as their four main wide options for the upcoming campaign.

“The plan is to have four high-quality wide options, so Iraola is able to rotate and not overburden players physically,” the reporter wrote.

“[…] As things stand, if the Diomande deal gets done, it’s set to be the Ivory Coast international, Munoz, Ngumoha and Gakpo providing the creativity from the flanks in the coming campaign.

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An intriguing position to take, given the repeated criticism aimed in Cody Gakpo’s direction and concerns over the handling of our latest young prodigy.

Look, we’re more than happy with handing a surplus of minutes to a player of Yan Diomande’s evident quality.

But we have to wonder whether we’re putting an inordinate amount of pressure on two very young footballers in the 2026/27 season.

Liverpool need more than just Yan Diomande

With the greatest of respect to Liverpool’s decision-makers, we’ve already had one top-quality forward ruled out for at least most of the upcoming season in Hugo Ekitike.

Where is the consideration for Ngumoha’s careful development? Or Diomande’s, for that matter?

Yes, the Ivorian has played 36 senior games for RB Leipzig this term (picking up 2,724 minutes) – and that’s without considering World Cup outings. But we’re still talking about a 19-year-old footballer holding the burden of minutes on the right flank.

Are we simply expecting that the versatile Munoz will be enough to keep the wide positions steady when either of Rio Ngumoha or Yan Diomande needs a break?

Are we likewise expecting the Spaniard to hold the fort when Alexander Isak inevitably picks up an injury? Don’t tell us that the plan is for Cody Gakpo to share that responsibility. Don’t get us wrong, we think the Dutchman’s a sensational squad option, but it seems that once again Liverpool are rolling the dice and relying on nothing going wrong.

But hey, maybe we’re overreacting?

Reading between the lines

Our hope, given Pearce’s emphasis on “four high-quality wide options”, is that this is merely detailing Liverpool’s plans for the flanks.

Ideally, that means we’re signing another forward, potentially a central option who can offer Isak some respite without there being a significant drop-off in quality.

To be honest, though, we’d prefer to see another versatile forward come in through the doors who could occupy both a wing and central position.