Liverpool are aggressively pursuing RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, with sporting director Richard Hughes believing this summer represents the best chance to secure the deal.
The 19-year-old Ivory Coast international has drawn comparisons to a Reds legend, with The Redmen TV’s Dan Clubbe suggesting he possesses “the finishing ability of Sadio Mane.”
Mane himself scored 120 goals in 269 appearances during his celebrated time at Anfield, making that comparison a significant endorsement of Diomande’s potential.
Diomande enjoyed an impressive debut Bundesliga season, contributing 12 goals and nine assists across 33 matches as Leipzig finished third in the table.
The teenager operated on both flanks throughout the campaign but predominantly featured on the right wing, positioning him as a natural successor to Mohamed Salah.
Bayern Munich are also monitoring Diomande closely and are reportedly willing to wait until next summer to make their move, complicating Liverpool’s pursuit.
Leipzig want to retain the youngster for at least one more year and have been working to tie him down to a new contract, adding further complexity to any potential transfer.
Liverpool believe acting now gives them the best chance of winning the race, with Diomande himself open to making the move to Merseyside this window.
A transfer fee of around £87m has been touted, which would make the winger Liverpool’s third most expensive signing in the club’s history.
Meanwhile, Andoni Iraola appears set to take charge at Anfield following Arne Slot’s departure, though Jamie Carragher has voiced reservations about the appointment.
Carragher acknowledged Iraola’s strengths while questioning whether his methods translate to a bigger stage, saying: “My worry is, can you play at that intensity when you’re playing every three days, and that was only getting played once a week with Bournemouth.”
The former Liverpool defender also raised broader concerns about the appointment, stating: “Whenever you’re bringing a manager in for a top club in England, you’re thinking: ‘Can he win me the league?'”
Carragher added: “That’s a big question mark around him, or any manager coming in, but Liverpool had a manager who’s won the league, so that’s why I was always torn.”
Diomande is also set to feature at the World Cup with the Ivory Coast, having earned nine senior international caps to date.