The 19-year-old bagged a hattrick in RB Leipzig’s 6-0 Bundesliga battering of Eintracht Frankfurt, making him the second youngest player in the competition’s history to do so, with Walter Bechtold still holding the record set back in 1965.
Flashscore’s very own transfer insider Dean Jones confirmed that Tottenham and Liverpool are both interested in signing Diomande, and despite RB Leipzig’s reluctance to sell, there is a general acceptance that if a big bid comes in, the club would be open to it.
Liverpool and Spurs won’t be the only one’s circling should he become available, however, and it’s easy to see why.
Diomande’s style of play
Remember when wingers used to be wingers? We’re not trying to sound like one of those ‘football was better in my day’ luddites, but there has been a sharp downturn in wide players taking risks, and it’s not entirely Pep Guardiola’s fault… just mostly.
Diomande is a throwback. Watching him for five minutes it’s obvious his best asset is his dribbling ability; in fact he’s already completed 37 successful dribbled at a success rate of 63.7% across his 13 Bundesliga games.
For context, that’s more than Michael Olise (25) and Luis Diaz (22), who are widely considered the best wingers in the league. Add enough pace to make Usain Bolt blush, Diomande is an absolute nightmare for any opposition defender to face.
The Ivorian is also very two footed, and his combination of balance, acceleration and strength allows him to beat defenders in entirely different phases of play, whether on the break or when facing a low block.
Now, there have been plenty of players that have all of that, but their end product has ultimately let them down when it counts. Diomande still has a lot to prove, but six goals from 12 shots on target and 13 chances created in the German top flight is a good start.
Does Diomande have any weaknesses?
Nothing major that can’t be resolved over time. He appears to be a bit of a creature of habit, preferring to remain out wide rather than attack the box and make underlapping runs to try and attack the back post.
Out of possession he’s solid if unremarkable. He presses well, tracks his runners and isn’t afraid to make a tackle when needed, but all of that is to be expected when you’re playing for a side like RB Leipzig.
Which move would suit Diomande best?
Despite being one of the biggest in Germany, RB Leipzig are still primarily a selling club. They may be reluctant to sell Diomande at the moment, but it’s only a matter of time before the vultures circle above. Thankfully, they’ll probably get a really tidy fee for him.
As reported, Liverpool and Tottenham are closely monitoring while other outlets are suggesting that up to ten clubs across Europe are also keeping tabs on the young winger, but we’re going to stick with the two Premier League sides.
It’s starting to feel like Liverpool are going to have a very large Mohamed Salah shaped hole to fill in the not-too-distant future, with his recent outburst seemingly signalling the beginning of the end for the Egyptian’s time at Anfield.
Diomande fits the bill. A dynamic and energetic winger, he’s a bit more of a team player than Salah, so whoever is playing at right-back won’t be “thrown under the bus” as Jamie Carragher liked to point out.
Matching Salah’s output in front of goal would be a major task for a young player transitioning from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, a pathway that hasn’t been as successful as it should have been, however.
Tottenham would offer a less pressurised environment for Diomande, which is a big deal for a young player. Spurs have Mohammed Kudus on the right, but their left-wing isn’t as secure, Diomande has played there for RB Leipzig, so perhaps that could be an option.
In all honesty, Diomande would be a huge asset for either side, even if he was relegated to more of a squad role. For now though, the best thing for him would be to remain in Germany and hone his game at RB Leipzig.