Liverpool holding ‘official talks’ for ‘Category A signing’ in €100m deal as midfielder wants ‘dream’ Anfield move | OneFootball

Liverpool have opened talks with Yan Diomande’s agents over a potential move to Anfield in the summer transfer window, sources have told TEAMtalk, as his Ivorian compatriot, Abdoulaye Doumbia, namechecks the Merseyside club as a “dream” destination.

With Mohamed Salah set to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, the Premier League club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), are not wasting any time to get a deal done for a long-term successor to the Egyptian winger.

Liverpool in talks over Yan Diomande

TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, has reported that Liverpool have made RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande their top target to replace Mo Salah in the summer of 2026.

Sources have told us that Liverpool are willing to pay the €100million (£87m, $117.6m) fee that Leipzig want for Diomande and have opened ‘official transfer talks’ with the winger’s agents.

We understand that last season’s Premier League winners view the 19-year-old Ivory Coast international winger as ‘the Category A signing they need’ to replace Mo Salah.

Liverpool have ‘opened discussions with Diomande’s representatives’, with the Reds keen on striking an agreement with the winger before the 2026 World Cup finals in the summer of 2026.

Once Liverpool have done that, then they will enter ‘formal negotiations with Leipzig’ for the teenager.

Sources have informed us that a move to Liverpool is ‘appealing’ to Diomande, who has scored 15 goals and given nine assists in 42 matches in all competitions for Leipzig this season.

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Abdoulaye Doumbia wants to play for Liverpool

Another Ivorian player, Abdoulaye Doumbia, has publicly revealed that he would love to play for Liverpool in the future.

The BK Hacken defensive midfielder is only 18 years of age and has made just five appearances for the Swedish club.

There is already interest in the teenager from French clubs RC Strasbourg, OGC Nice and Stade Rennais, according to Sportbladet, but Doumbia has set his sights higher.

The teenage midfielder has named Liverpool among the clubs that he would love to play for in the future.

When asked about French interest in him, Doumbia told Fotboll Direkt:  “I didn’t know that. All I want is to play and help the team.

“If I’m on the pitch, I play my football, and after that it’s done.

“I’m not thinking about other clubs now. My focus is on my club BK Hacken, and after that, we’ll see.”

The midfielder then responded when asked about his ambition as a footballer: “My dream is to play in the best leagues, the biggest tournaments like the Champions League.

“I want to play with my national team in the World Cup and win trophies.”

When asked if he has a favourite club in the world, the midfielder laughed and said: “I like Real Madrid and Barcelona too.

“I can also imagine playing for clubs like Liverpool.”

Liverpool plan PSG raid

Liverpool FC journalist David Lynch has named the three Paris Saint-Germain players that Liverpool have taken a shine to.

Lynch, who has over 117, 000 followers on X, has said that Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are the three PSG wingers that Arne Slot’s Liverpool like.

The journalist told Anfield Index: “Liverpool, they like pretty much all of those PSG wingers.

“They like Barcola, they like Doue, they like Kvaratskhelia if they were even on the market this summer, maybe.

“And there have been suggestions that might be the case albeit I only think they’ll sell one of them if they do, and it will be to bring someone in like [Yan] Diomande, so one to keep an eye on.”