Liverpool ready to upset fans with massive transfer call | OneFootball

Liverpool risk upsetting an awful lot of fans with a massive transfer call. Get ready to debate this one.

Liverpool spent massively last summer in an overhaul of their first-team squad. Players left, players came in, and over £600m split between the two directions.

All in all, the Reds did buy players for over £400m and even if that was subsidised through sales, that's a massive amount to spend on a first-team squad. More than Jürgen Klopp's UEFA Champions League-winning XI combined, in fact.

So the fact we can state with absolutely certainty that more must be spent shows how well that went. Liverpool are a worse team than they were a year ago - no one can dispute that.

One thing they sorely lack is pace on the wing, with Luis Diaz having moved on to Bayern Munich without an adequate replacement. It's a situation that will be addressed in the summer, especially with the news that Mo Salah will depart.

But it sounds as though Liverpool will try to 'fix' that problem without spending massive amounts. The Athletic, for instance, suggest that the club view €100m for Yan Diomande as excessive.

Now, Diomande is about as perfect of a fit as Liverpool can hope to find. He's young, developing rapidly, boasts incredible pace, can operate on both wings and has enjoyed a wonderful season with RB Leipzig, showing he can immediately adapt to a new club and country.

You're not going to pick out a winger who justifies the €100m price tag more than that, outside of maybe Michael Olise. So Liverpool viewing Diomande as overpriced certainly suggests that they don't see value in the position right now.

Finding that winger and replacing Salah should take near-record-breaking amounts. The club don't see it that way, however, and we get the impression that they'll opt for a 'value for money' signing, rather than a big swing at an elite talent.

That's a decision which will split the fans.

Yan Diomande: Situation Summary

Injury Update

Diomande is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury sustained during Leipzig's 5-0 win over Hoffenheim on 20 March. The club confirmed it is a capsular injury, which has forced him to withdraw from the Ivory Coast national team for the current international break. He is expected to focus on recovery in Germany, with a potential return to action in mid-April.

Breakthrough Stats

Since joining Leipzig from Leganés for £17 million last summer, the 19-year-old winger has been a revelation in the Bundesliga. Across 29 competitive appearances this season, he has recorded 11 goals and 8 assists. His explosive pace and dribbling have made him a primary candidate for "Rookie of the Season" honors.

Transfer Battle

With Mohamed Salah’s departure from Liverpool now confirmed, Diomande has emerged as a top target to succeed him at Anfield. The player has previously hinted at his admiration for Liverpool, noting his father’s dream is to see him play at Anfield. However, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are also heavily involved. RB Leipzig is reportedly demanding a fee in the region of €100 million (£86m), leveraging the fact that he is under contract until 2030.