Liverpool & Man City ‘Pushing’ To Sign Bundesliga Wonderkid

Originally posted on Essential Football | By J Johnson | Last updated May 29, 2026 10:55 AM ET

Just over a year ago, Liverpool and Manchester City were considered to be the top two clubs in the Premier League. Now, with Pep Guardiola set to depart City and with Liverpool having finished 5th, this is now up for debate.

Nevertheless, with the summer transfer window on the horizon, the two clubs have an excellent chance to restore their status. They each have a transfer target in their sights – RB Leipzig starlet Yan Diomande.

One of the most coveted young players in the world at the moment, Diomande would be a fantastic addition to practically any team in the world. At just 19 years of age, he is already amongst the best attacking players in the Bundesliga. Furthermore, he has picked up nine caps for the Ivory Coast, scoring three goals on the international stage.

He will have a part to play at the 2026 World Cup, being in a group with Germany, Curucao and Ecuador. As such, teams may need to act fast – if he has a successful tournament, his market value could skyrocket even higher.

On top of this, City and Liverpool are not the only interested parties. PSG are also thought to be in the race – as one of the world’s biggest and most financially lucrative clubs, they will provide some seriously stern competition in the quest to acquire his signature.

Yan Diomande 2025/26 Bundesliga stats

	Games	Goals	Assists	Yellow Cards	Red Cards
Yan Diomande	33	12	9	2	0

As you can see, the 2025/26 season has been an outstanding one for Diomande. With an astonishing 21 goal contributions to his name, only a handful of players have been able to match or exceed this tally.

This was a massive step up from his time at Leganes last season, where he managed just two goals and one assists in ten La Liga games – his development over the last year has been startlingly rapid.

While he excels on the left wing, which allows him to cut inside and rattle off shots, his electric pace means that he is also very adept at playing on the right wing as well.

Who needs Yan Diomande the most?

As things stand, both Liverpool and Manchester City have some excellent talents out wide. Of the two, however, one would suggest that City are better off at the moment.

The Sky Blues can call upon Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki to occupy their wide positions – together, they are two of the best wingers in the world at the moment.

Liverpool have an absolute gem in the form of academy graduate Rio Ngumoha, but outside of this, they are somewhat lacking. Federico Chiesa simply isn’t afforded enough playing time, while Cody Gakpo’s recent performances have drawn criticism from the Anfield massive.

Diomande risks being lost in the mix if he opts to join City – at Liverpool, he could swiftly become the star of the show, especially with Mohamed Salah set to depart the club in the summer. They’ll need to replace him – Diomande could be an excellent long-term option.

This article first appeared on Essential Football and was syndicated with permission.

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