Yan Diomande: Red Bull chief opens up on Man United target’s future | OneFootball

RB Leipzig are prepared to turn down eye-watering offers for Yan Diomande to ensure he remains at the club, as Fabrizio Romano predicts Manchester United will be in a “crazy battle” for the 19-year-old winger this summer.

Europe’s next big thing

Diomande has emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in Europe this season, delvering a series of dazzling displays in the Bundesliga.

The Ivory Coast international, who represented his country alongside Amad at the African Cup of Nations, has scored seven times with a further four assists in 18 appearances, averaging a goal contribution every 106 minutes.

He is also ambipedal, making him equally dangerous on either flank, and possesses a potent pairing of speed and strength, which has led to comparisons with Antoine Semenyo – a long-term target at Old Trafford.

Yan Diomande: 25/26 Stats

However, it is his dribbling ability – and the number of opportunities this creates for himself and his teammates – that puts Diomande in a league of his own, despite his tender years.

Amongst all wingers in Europe’s top five leagues, he ranks in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons, 97th for progressive carries and 93rd for touches in the opposition box, while placing in the 92nd percentile for shot-creating actions.

Interestingly, his effectiveness on the ball is matched by his industry off it, as he sits in the 97th percentile for interceptions and 85th for tackles and blocks. At his previous club, La Liga side Leganes, he even played as a wing-back.

It makes sense, therefore, that United are interested in Diomande as an alternative to Semenyo, after the Ghanaian winger rebuffed their advances in favour of joining Manchester City earlier this month.

The Red Devils are not alone in their pursuit, however, with Premier League rivals Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur also in the hunt, while Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are keeping a close eye on Diomande’s progress.

Romano predicts it will be a “crazy” transfer battle amongst Europe’s elite as United continue to dispatch scouts to the Red Bull Arena, despite insistence that Diomande will “not leave” this month.

“Yan Diomande is one of the best young wingers in the world, but RB Leipzig insist they want to keep the player. Despite Manchester United sending their scouts to follow Yan Diomande again, despite Tottenham being ready to do business now in January, the intention of Yan Diomande also is to understand the situation on the market, but RB Leipzig want to keep the player in January,” the Italian transfer expert reveals.

“They insist that Yan Diomande will not leave in this window. They made important money in the summer, they are not looking for money. They sold Sesko, they sold Openda, they sold Xavi Simons. So now, Diomande is staying, that is the message from Leipzig, but in the summer it is going to be a crazy battle. Man United are sending their scouts, Tottenham as well, Paris Saint-Germain are also following closely.”

However, Red Bull chief Oliver Mintzlaff has laid down a marker that Diomande will remain with Leipzig next season, and they are prepared to turn down €90 million offers to ensure this is the case.

Red Bull will play hardball

Speaking over the weekend, Mintzlaff stated: “As chairman of the supervisory board, I would say he will definitely be with us next season – even if there were an offer of €80 or €90 million.”

The 50-year-old director further revealed that “not a single interested club has come forward yet” despite the growing queue across the continent.

“You simply can’t let go of such a young player, whom we just signed, after only one year. He’s extremely young and playing his first Bundesliga season. We’ve worked to ensure that players can stay a bit longer.”

But Mintzlaff did concede that it is always a struggle for Leipzig to keep their best players, as demonstrated by United’s capture of Benjamin Sesko last summer.

“The truth is that, while we are a very ambitious Bundesliga club, there are also other top clubs. In the past, we have repeatedly had to let good players go – partly to generate transfer revenue, and partly because they were ready to take the next step in their careers.”

United were forced to stump up €85m for the Slovenian striker, however, as the Red Bull clubs are notoriously tough negotiators – which means if they are willing to turn down €90m for their newest superstar in the making, Diomande will not be leaving without a nine-figure bid arriving to steal him away.

Featured image Stuart Franklin via Getty Images

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