Arsenal have reopened the door to a major attacking addition by making an inquiry to RB Leipzig winger Yann Diomande.
The 19-year-old is regarded as one of Europe’s most exciting young attackers, with his explosive dribbling and improved final product following a breakthrough season in Germany.
Paris Saint-Germain appear to be leading the race, with Diomando thought to be keen to work under Luis Enrique.
However, the French champions still have not agreed a transfer fee with Leipzig, giving Arsenal a reason to remain involved rather than accept that the deal is already lost.
Leipzig are determined to keep the Ivory Coast international, who is under contract until 2030.
Their strong negotiating position means Arsenal will likely need to spend significant amounts of money to turn an initial inquiry into full-fledged negotiations.
Arsenal refuse to give up in race to sign Diomande
According to talkSPORT, Arsenal have contacted Leipzig about Diomande and are continuing to assess his availability. While PSG remains his preferred transfer destination, the German club hope to convince him to stay for another season.
It’s natural that Arsenal would be interested after losing Morgan Rodgers to Chelsea. Mikel Arteta still wants a strong, direct attacker who can operate from the left and get the ball into congested areas.
Diomand has those qualities, but the Gunners first need to see if he reconsiders his preference for Paris.
At this point, Arsenal’s approach should be seen as more exploratory than progressive, as no formal bid has been reported.
The former Chelsea and Liverpool star praised Diomand, calling him “explosive”. he said:
“There are a lot of top wingers in world football right now, but Diomande is the best player I’ve ever seen. He’s very explosive.”
PSG’s uncertainty brings hope to Gunners
The situation may be more open than it initially appears. FootballTransfers reported that PSG could withdraw due to complex contract issues, including disputes over player representation rights and image rights.
That uncertainty is a clear boost for Arsenal. However, removing PSG from the equation does not solve Leipzig’s valuation, nor does it guarantee that Diomande wants to move to the Emirates.
Arsenal should keep in touch without rushing into making an inflated offer.
Diomand has superstar potential, but there’s a clear risk in paying a finished product price for a teenager coming off an elite season.
The smartest thing to do is to first find out his intentions and then negotiate firmly.
If he remains committed to PSG or Leipzig refuses to compromise, Arsenal should move on to other targets immediately.
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