Liverpool ready to complete mega £87m transfer as soon as possible

Arne Slott has left Liverpool but the show must go on.

The Dutch manager wrote a heartfelt letter to the Liverpool Echo, speaking to fans about success, unity and how Liverpool are different from other clubs.

It may have been a draining, near-disastrous year for the Reds, but Slott understood that, delivering the Premier League title in his first year, running under Jurgen Klopp, and leaving having quickly gained respect from within the club and further afield.

Thanks, Slott, but the show must go on and we can’t ignore how bad it’s gotten, the spiraling toxicity levels and fan disillusionment that is effectively blaming him.

FSG cannot afford to go in the wrong direction at the moment and there is a growing need for forwards to get Liverpool back on track without a manager.

Liverpool want to sign new forward ASAP

Mohamed Salah left Liverpool this summer and Hugo Ekitike’s long-term injury highlights the importance of signing a new forward for managers to replace Slott in the Anfield dugout.

It looks like Andoni Iraola will be that man. The Spaniard was tipped as a favorite to replace Slott this month, leaving his post at Bournemouth when his contract expires. Formal negotiations begin this week.

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool currently intend to seek a deal from RB Leipzig for high-profile winger Yann Diomande, regardless of the outcome of the Iraola scandal. FSG want to conclude the transfer quickly and the Reds are aware that missing out this summer could complicate future bids.

Diomand, 19, valued at £87m, is also being pursued by Paris Saint-Germain, but Liverpool could offer him an immediate route into the starting XI as a replacement for the athletic and physically strong Salah on the right.

Iraola could be the perfect coach to guide Diomande to a world-class stage. The Ivorian star shares similarities with Manchester City star Antoine Semenyo, who was forged in the furnace of Iraola’s Bournemouth project.

Why Diomande could be Iraora’s new Semenyo

Liverpool want to sign Semenyo before completing his £65m move to Manchester in January, putting an end to much speculation over his future at the club.

Diomande boasts even higher potential than the Ghanaian, with Redmen TV’s Daniel Clave praising him as having “Sadio Mane-like decisiveness”, so waiting for his turn may finally pay off, albeit belatedly.

Described by journalist Bence Boxark as a “generational talent”, Diomande has scored 13 goals and provided 10 assists in all competitions for Leipzig this season. It’s worth remembering that he spent most of last season as a reserve player for Spanish team Leganes.

The gains he made in such a short period of time were frankly ridiculous and convinced FSG and PSG, currently the preeminent teams in Europe, that he was worthy of a call-up.

Iraola would be a big hit if he met at Anfield. Diomande certainly shows that he has many similarities with Semenyo, the 26-year-old attacker who starred throughout the 2025/26 season and won two domestic trophies since joining City in January.

It is important that Liverpool do not try to replace Salah with a player of his caliber this summer. The Egyptian king was one of a kind, and looking for a similar profile – out-of-this-world scoring ability and conservative explosiveness – would not be the way of the day.

Furthermore, Iraola brings intensity and energetic forward play to the team, but Salah is unlikely to be able to float at the moment. However, Diomande was very fast and powerful with the ball in his hands. He works tirelessly from a defensive point of view and is responsible for all the aspects that have led to Semenyo’s rise and stay in the Premier League over the past few years.

Although Diomande is young and inexperienced, his success in the Bundesliga has been underpinned by his strength and application on the ball, which also shines in the Premier League.

Working under Iraola, he will need to give 110% and with the right help, he could develop into the Basque manager’s new Semenho and maybe even surpass Iraola.