Real Madrid has outperformed PSG in the race for Yan Diomande and is negotiating with Leipzig for the transfer of the 19-year-old Ivorian winger for around 130 million euros.
Real Madrid is close to finalising the signing of Yan Diomande, the young Ivorian winger aged 19, after getting ahead of PSG in a deal that has caused significant unrest at the Parisian club. According to sources close to the negotiations, Madrid and Leipzig are finalising the details of the agreement for a figure that will be around 130 million euros.
PSG, which had reached a verbal agreement with the player during the last World Cup, has publicly denounced the interference of the white club, describing it as a “kidnapping” in statements reported by the newspaper L’Equipe. “We are not going to empty our coffers just because a club arrived with fireworks. This shows where Real Madrid is now,” said sources from PSG quoted by the French publication.
In a statement issued yesterday, PSG confirmed its withdrawal from the race for Diomande, arguing that “the amount demanded for the transfer, as well as the salary expectations, were completely disproportionate and of such a nature that they would have destabilised the market.” The Parisian entity stated that it will not be dragged into “the artificial inflation of prices or the manoeuvres of certain intermediaries.”
However, today PSG has hardened its stance and has launched a direct attack against Real Madrid. “They were asking for an outrageous amount of money for a player who has potential but was playing in the Spanish Second Division a year ago,” adds the source cited by L’Equipe, which claims that within the French club they consider Madrid's operation as “a kidnapping.”
The signing of Diomande promises to further strain the already fragile institutional relationship between both clubs. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez have clashed in the past over the Super League, a battle won by the Qatari allied with Ceferin. Additionally, both clubs have been at odds for years over Kylian Mbappé.
For Real Madrid, the signing of Diomande represents a bet on the future. The winger, who has excelled at Leipzig, is considered one of the young promises of world football. His arrival would strengthen the white attack, which already includes stars like Vinícius Jr. and Rodrygo.
The Madrid club has yet to officially announce the operation, but all signs point to an announcement in the coming days. Meanwhile, the white fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of a player who, according to experts, could mark an era at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The tension between Real Madrid and PSG is not new. Both clubs have maintained a contentious relationship in recent years, marked by the tussle over Mbappé and differences regarding the Super League. With this new episode, the rivalry intensifies, and the next chapter could be written in the upcoming transfer market.
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