Liverpool move closer to sealing £112m transfer

Liverpool’s supporters have been demanding success over the last few years, with Arne Slot the man to finally end the club’s wait for Premier League glory.

The Dutchman led the Reds to title glory at the first attempt during the 2024/25 campaign, but it’s safe to say the following campaign was a year to forget for the manager.

He could only lead the side to a fifth-placed finish throughout 2025/26, subsequently resulting in the 47-year-old being handed his marching orders on Merseyside.

Andoni Iraola has since been named as his replacement, with the Spaniard the hierarchy’s top target due to his relentless heavy-metal attacking philosophy.

However, if the 43-year-old is to be a success at Anfield, the board will once again need to get their chequebook out to back the Spaniard on his quest for glory.

Iraola pushing Liverpool talks to sign £100m attacking star

After Mohamed Salah announced his departure from Liverpool, the importance of the club landing added attacking reinforcements has undoubtedly increased tenfold.

PSG winger Bradley Barcola has been touted as one potential addition this window, with Arsenal also said to be keen on securing a £60m deal for his services.

The Frenchman netted during his nation’s opening World Cup outing on Tuesday night, which will only increase the interest in the 23-year-old’s signature this summer.

However, Barcola isn’t the only attacking option in the Reds’ sights, as RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande also continues to be linked with a switch to Merseyside.

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool remain extremely keen on a move for the Ivorian and are said to be at the front of the queue for his signature at present.

The report also states that Iraola himself is driving a move for the 19-year-old, who is also said to be on the radar of current Champions League winners, PSG.

They are said to be making ‘progress’ on a transfer that could cost in the region of a whopping £112m with a deal moving ever closer to completion, providing the Paris side do not get in the way. Should a deal be wrapped up for that fee, it would make him the Anfield club’s third most expensive transfer of all time behind Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.

Why Diomande has shades of Kroupi and Semenyo

During his time as Bournemouth manager, Iraola worked with a whole host of top-level talents – including attackers Eli Kroupi Junior and Antoine Semenyo.

The former of the duo only arrived from Lorient for a reported £10m last summer, but it didn’t stop him from catching the eye during the 2025/26 campaign.

The 19-year-old registered 13 goals for the Cherries and ended the campaign with the most goals by any teenager in England’s top-flight – leading to interest from Liverpool as a result.

As for Semenyo, the winger enjoyed a phenomenal first half of last season at the Vitality, netting 10 times in his first 20 league games – leading to a £65m transfer to Manchester City in January.

Iraola will no doubt wish he could call upon such talents during his time at Anfield, but deals for both of the aforementioned talents this summer appear highly unlikely.

However, he could land his own version of the pair with a move for Diomande, with the Ivorian international possessing very similar qualities to the attacking talents.

The RB Leipzig youngster would emulate Kroupi in starring during his first season in the Premier League – doing so as a teenager after a move from another top-five league.

He would also be extremely similar to Semenyo in thriving off either side of the attack, whilst also cementing himself as one of the division’s most threatening talents.

Diomande’s stats from the recent Bundesliga campaign highlight his tremendous quality within attacking areas – which could make the reported £100m fee a potential bargain.

The Ivorian, who’s been labelled “generational” by analyst Bence Bocsak, completed a staggering 4.3 successful dribbles per 90 – the most of any player in Germany’s top-flight.

Such a figure highlights his ability to glide past the opposition with ease, something which Semenyo made a name for during his time working with Iraola on the South Coast.

He also managed to put the finishing touches on his mazy runs – as seen by his tally of 12 league goals, which showcases his similarity to Kroupi in being able to find the back of the net in abundance.

£100m would be a huge amount of money to spend on a player like Diomande, but it’s a move that could hand the new boss the attacking talent he craves this summer.

Should he get anywhere near the levels of Kroupi and Semenyo at Anfield, the deal will be a superb piece of business and one that can help the Reds mount a push for title glory.