Yan Diomande’s signing from RB Leipzig in a deal worth up to €140million (£119m; $161m) is the strongest sign of Real Madrid’s determination to supercharge their squad after two seasons of disappointment.
He is the sixth summer arrival for the returning Jose Mourinho’s new project at the Santiago Bernabeu, following Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella and Carlos Espi.
As they respond to back-to-back seasons without a major trophy, Madrid have come out on top against Liverpool, who pursued 19-year-old Diomande earlier this summer, and Paris Saint-Germain, who dropped out of the running at the end of July.
When The Athletic revealed on July 24 that Madrid had entered the race to sign the Ivory Coast winger, the reaction among the club’s fans and wider football was one of great surprise.
Diomande’s name had not been linked with them, and recent developments had suggested he was close to joining PSG, winners of the past two Champions League titles.
Things heated up for Madrid after Diomande’s involvement in the World Cup ended. Following Ivory Coast’s 2-1 defeat in the round of 32 against Norway on June 30, the Spanish club began to make concrete moves, including the first of three offers to Leipzig.
Just a year after signing Diomande from Spain’s Leganes by meeting his €20million release clause, Leipzig have negotiated the biggest sale in their history, significantly surpassing the €90m they received from Manchester City for defender Josko Gvardiol in 2023.
Madrid’s deal consists of an initial fee of around €125million plus €15m in potential add-ons, with Diomande joining on a seven-year contract.
If all those are add-ons achieved, he would become their record signing. Jude Bellingham’s 2023 move from Borussia Dortmund for an initial €103m has already cost them more than €125m with add-ons, and that fee could rise further to about €134m.
Here, informed by multiple sources — many of whom asked to speak anonymously to protect relationships — The Athletic tells the story behind one of this summer’s biggest and most unexpected transfers. Read More