Marcel Schäfer explains RB Leipzig’s rapid move for Yan Diomande | OneFootball

Marcel Schäfer has outlined how RB Leipzig beat rivals to sign Yan Diomande, acting early on a clear data-led conviction. The 19-year-old winger arrived from CD Leganés last summer.

According to BuLi News, Leipzig’s sporting boss and his team analysed the numbers, watched him on video and live, and moved before he had even reached 200 league minutes. They felt his profile suited Leipzig’s style.

Confident it was a complete match, Leipzig did not need protracted talks to commit. With competition high and the player having started only six La Liga games, Leganés insisted on a significant fee, reportedly €20 million, which Leipzig accepted.

Schäfer said the club had seen enough to act quickly, with support from Red Bull head of global soccer Jürgen Klopp and technical director Mario Gomez. Internally, the message was to proceed without hesitation.

Diomande has since delivered seven goals and four assists in 17 games in all competitions. He has been linked with elite European clubs, and it has been suggested he could fetch as much as €100 million, yet he is under contract until 2030 with no release clause, leaving Leipzig in control.

Leipzig have also added Suleiman Sani from AS Trencin for a reported €5 million. Schäfer sees parallels in pace, athleticism and one-on-one threat, even if Sani arrives from a lower level. The winger registered three goals and two assists in Slovakia before moving.

Source: BuLi News