Liverpool still have a number of transfer issues to resolve in the coming months, with FSG set to pivot away from Yann Diomand following the Ivorian winger’s decision to join Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
Whether RB Leipzig will allow the 19-year-old winger to leave is an entirely different matter, but with the 34-year-old Egyptian officially a free agent, there is no question that the Reds still need a replacement for Mohamed Salah.
Was Diomande the rebuilding player Liverpool desperately needed? FSG will be wary of signing an old right-winger, someone who just fills a hole but doesn’t fill it.
He may have been that attacker, but sadly, unless something dramatic happens, Diomande won’t be playing for Liverpool again next season. The Merseysiders have no time to waste and turn to Plan B.
Liverpool named as candidates to sign World Cup superstar
Diomande congratulated PSG, but Liverpool were always ready to move on to other goals. Diomande’s signing will come at a hefty price, similar to Alexander Isak’s record-breaking outlay last summer.
FC Köln’s El Mara, Brighton’s Yankuba Minte and LOSC Lille winger Matias Fernandes-Pardo said: All of Salah’s transfer destinations, FSG, are making inquiries to replace him this summer.
However, if Liverpool do not choose to take the beaten path and instead opt to move for a genuine sensation, Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior could be a candidate.
Sources in Spain say Liverpool are among a select group of clubs that could sign Real Madrid’s Brazilian superstar when he becomes a free agent next summer.
The 25-year-old, one of the most prominent wingers in the world, has also been optioned by Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Bayern Munich. PSG are unlikely to pursue this move as their attacking quality is very high.
Considering Vini’s contract situation, he could be signed this summer for “just” 90 million euros (approximately 7.7 billion yen). That could be doable for a Liverpool side desperate for new parts. In fact, even if he commands an astronomical salary, his performance at the World Cup may confirm that the Reds could make a good profit from this tournament.
Why Vini Jr. is a better contract than Diomande
As new manager Jose Mourinho has pointed out, Vinicius Junior has established himself as “one of the best wingers in the world” in recent years, a phenomenon in his home country and a force to be reckoned with at Real Madrid.
We can rain superlatives on you until the cows come home, but you know who Vini Jr. is. He is one of the best players to do it at the moment and if Liverpool can get this deal done it would erase the frustration of failing to sign Diomande.
Hated and adored at the same time, Vini Junior rarely makes headlines and Liverpool will be signing one of the most powerful forwards in the game. Los Blancos’ new manager Jose Mourinho has actually recently called him “one of the best wingers in the world.”
If Ivory Coast had stopped Erling Haaland and reached the World Cup quarter-finals, Diomande could have faced Vini Junior this weekend. But Norway got the job done.
Vinicius Junior will face a threatening new attacking force, but it’s not fair to call Diomande an equal – not yet, anyway.
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The true mark of a superstar is not the ability to create magical, game-changing moments, but the ability to do it consistently. Vini Junior is a man for the big stage and has certainly proved in recent weeks of the World Cup to be Brazil’s talisman in their record-extending title chase.
2026 World Cup Form | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (* per 90) | Vinny Jr. | Diomand |
Match (start) | 4 (4) | 4 (4) |
Goal + Assist | 4+1 | 0 + 1 |
Number of shots (on target)* | 3.8(2.5) | 1.0 (0.0) |
Exact path* | 25.5 (84%) | 31.3 (84%) |
An opportunity has arisen | 1 | 4 |
Key pass* | 1.8 | 2.8 |
It was successful. dribble* | 2.5 | 2.8 |
Ball recovery rate* | 1.8 | 4.5 |
Def. contribution | 0.8 | 4.8 |
Win a duel* | 5.3 (45%) | 8.3 (58%) |
Cutting things down and looking at how Liverpool will need to spend their money this summer, it is glaringly obvious that Iraola needs a forward who can emulate Salah’s presence, if not his performances, and bring a sense of superstar power to a team in transition.
Diomande brings a kind of roundness to the game that most forwards don’t have in their locker, while Vini Jr. brings the goals and an almost unparalleled dominance in the final third that only a handful of forwards can match.
Diomand had some flashy displays on the pond, but despite playing a key role in Les Elephants’ attack, he failed to score a goal. In fact, he did not sting the palm of any of the four goalkeepers he faced during the tournament.
Vini Jr. is one of the best in the industry. He surpassed his 20-goal mark for Real Madrid for the fifth consecutive season, running down the flanks and hovering in dangerous areas, waiting to pounce.
If Liverpool can pull this off, the frustration of missing out on Diomande will evaporate like a puddle in the hot summer sun.
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