Yann Diomande drawing Lamine Yamal parallels and destined for elite move, says ex-Leganes boss Jimenez

Borja Jimenez, the former Leganes head coach, believes RB Leipzig’s Ivorian forward Yann Diomande has such exceptional natural talent that he is fully prepared to join one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Jimenez, who worked with Diomande at Leganes during the 2024-25 season, described witnessing at close quarters the explosive emergence of a player now being strongly linked with Real Madrid.

Still only 19, Diomande has seen his estimated market value soar from €1.5m to around €90m in a remarkably short period, while his performances in the Bundesliga for RB Leipzig have placed him among the most talked-about young talents in European football.

“Of course Diomande is ready to move to a big club,” Jimenez told Spanish newspaper Sport. “He is proving that week after week in the German league.”

‘He reminds me a lot of Lamine Yamal’

Jimenez highlighted Diomande’s one-on-one ability and composure on the ball as qualities that set him apart from his peers and drew a comparison with Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal.

“Diomande has the art of dribbling and bringing the ball out even in the most difficult situations,” he said. “He is a very different kind of player, and in many aspects he reminds me of Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.”

The Spanish coach recalled being instantly struck by Diomande’s impact in an internal match at Leganes during an international break in March 2025, when the teenager was still on the fringes of the first team.

“The first impression he made was absolutely incredible,” Jimenez said. “It was in a game against the reserve team during the last international break in March 2025. We only gave him 45 minutes because he was doing whatever he wanted on the pitch, and he also scored a goal.”

‘I had never seen anything like it’

Jimenez admitted the coaching staff quickly became concerned that Diomande’s explosive style might provoke overly aggressive challenges from opponents in that match, such was his dominance.

“We were afraid he might get hurt,” he explained. “He had an amazing ability to change direction constantly and dribble past first-division players as if it were the easiest thing in the world. His impact was enormous and he kept repeating those efforts, and he has great physical strength. He surprised us a lot, and I had never seen anything like it before.”

That early display, Jimenez suggested, was a clear indication that Diomande was capable of handling a rapid rise, both physically and mentally, as he moved towards the top level of the game.

Former team-mate: ‘From day one we said he had to play’

Enric Franquesa, who shared a dressing room with Diomande at Leganes, echoed his former coach’s admiration and said the teenager’s mentality stood out as much as his talent.

“He was a player who surprised me a lot,” Franquesa said. “His maturity and bravery were evident from the first day he trained with us.”

Franquesa recalled that Diomande’s promotion to the first team immediately changed the conversation in the dressing room, with senior players convinced he needed to be on the pitch as soon as possible.

“From the very first moment, we felt he was a different player,” he added. “What I remember most are my team-mates’ comments when he came up to the first team. Everyone started saying: this boy has to play.”

‘He will end up at one of Europe’s best clubs’

Franquesa is convinced Diomande’s profile makes him a natural fit for the very highest level and that he is on course to join one of the continent’s leading sides.

“He will end up at one of the best clubs in Europe,” Franquesa said. “He has all the attributes. The hardest thing to find in football today is the ability to come out on top in individual duels, and he has that quality. It will open the doors of any big club for him.”

With Real Madrid monitoring his progress and his value rising rapidly at RB Leipzig, both Jimenez and Franquesa are certain the teenager they saw emerge at Leganes is now ready to take the next step in his career at the very top of the European game.