Liverpool dreams CRUSHED with 'outrageous' price needed for Yan Diomande and key Leipzig figure to BLOCK move

Liverpool have been warned of the outlandish figures – potentially even in excess of their own transfer record – now required to sign Yan Diomande this summer, and amid claims that the player’s representatives are frustrated by FSG’s approach to launching a second bid.

The Reds are desperate to bring Diomande to Anfield as the replacement for Mohamed Salah, who parted ways with Liverpool over the summer after nine glorious years at Anfield.

However, striking a deal with a belligerent RB Leipzig has proved more difficult than expected, with a first Liverpool offer for Diomande totalling €100m (£87m, $116m) instantly batted away by the Bundesliga side.

While there were reports circling on Thursday that the Reds had also seen a second offer fail, that offer is yet to arrive, with FSG still pondering their next move and deciding just how high to bid.

In light of all that, TEAMtalk exclusively reported a fortnight ago that Leipzig would likely demand a Bundesliga record fee for their prized asset; surpassing the £128m that Barcelona paid Dortmund for Ousmane Dembele in 2017, if they are to consider a sale.

Now, a new report in Germany has backed up that information and even suggests that, regardless of the offer that is made, Leipzig could block his sale anyway, safe in the knowledge that the 19-year-old’s value is only going to rise.

Indeed, it’s claimed that Leipzig’s new boss, Martin Demichelis, could instruct his new club to block all offers, with a meeting set to take place between the Argentine and the club’s sporting director Marcel Schafer to discuss the potential sale as well as other squad-building plans.

‘Red Bull holds the reins due to the contract, which does not contain a release clause,’ TAG 24 reports.’

‘Only an even more outrageous sum would likely prompt them to consider a deal at Cottaweg – unless, of course, Demichelis vetoes the offer and sees Diomande as a key component for the upcoming season, which is probably the case.’

Furthermore, despite strong buy-in from new Reds boss Andoni Iraola, who is desperate to add the Leipzig star to his ranks, it seems Diomande’s camp are also showing signs of frustration over how long the deal is taking to go through…

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Diomande camp showing frustration at Liverpool

Amid the undertones of Leipzig’s determination to keep the player, there seems a buy-in from the player that he would love to make the move to Anfield this summer and he is quietly waiting for a deal to be agreed between the clubs and with his other major suitors, Paris Saint-Germain refusing to ‘to pay his exorbitant transfer fee’.

Fabrizio Romano has also revealed the behind-the-scenes work that is happening to secure his signature.

“I think the player side of this deal is still a bit underrated in terms of the media,” Romano said.

“It’s always the talk about the bid, the new bid, the next bid, but I believe that Liverpool are doing excellent work on the player side in order to get the green light and to have Diomande telling Leipzig, ‘let me go to Liverpool.’

“So that’s what they’re doing, and that’s why I believe there is confidence at the club to get it done.”

Regular readers of these pages will be well aware of Liverpool’s efforts to convince Diomande to sign, with sources revealing back in December how officials from Anfield were in almost daily contact with the winger’s entourage over a summer move to Anfield.

According to journalist Lewis Steele, there are signs of frustration from Diomande’s camp at just how long it is taking to strike an agreement.

“I think there’s a little bit of frustration on the player’s side from what I’ve heard that it’s maybe taking a little bit longer than some people may have anticipated,” Steele stated.

“I’m talking about his camp.

“Maybe they thought it was going to go a bit quicker, but now they’re sort of resigned to the fact it might drag on after the World Cup, but they accept it.

“But also, you never know. Liverpool could just pull their finger out, and it’d be done in the next day or two.”

It was claimed on Wednesday that former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp – who now works as Red Bull’s head of global football – has an agreement in place with Schafer not to sell Diomande this summer.

Should a move ultimately fail, Liverpool do have several other options on their radar, with a Brighton star one of the next names on their wishlist.

And according to Romano, Iraola also has great “love” for a PSG star, who could be allowed to move this summer for a fee of around £78m (€90m, $102m).

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