Real Madrid face €20m gap in talks for Yan Diomande

Real Madrid’s proposed move for Yan Diomande is being held up by the transfer fee, with the Spanish club understood to have offered about €130m while RB Leipzig want closer to €150m for the Ivory Coast winger.

Diomande, who has been strongly linked with Real Madrid for several weeks, is still waiting for the two clubs to reach an agreement. No deal has been officially announced, despite the continued expectation that he could move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

RB Leipzig have left the 19-year-old out of their first-team squad to reduce the risk of injury while negotiations continue. The player therefore remains in limbo as Real Madrid and the German club attempt to settle the final financial details of the transfer.

The difference between the two valuations is currently understood to be the main obstacle. A source close to the negotiations told Ivoirezine that the issue surrounding Diomande’s representatives is not responsible for the delay.

A dispute emerged in recent days between Maxidel, the organisation established by former Ivory Coast international Max-Alain Gradel, and Roc Nation, the agency that now represents Diomande. Maxidel says it has referred the matter to FIFA following the player’s change of representation.

Roc Nation has strongly rejected those allegations in a statement. However, according to the source cited by Ivoirezine, the disagreement between the agencies has not prevented progress in the discussions between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig.

The source also said that optimism remained within Diomande’s camp, even though the two clubs have yet to bridge the gap between their respective demands. Real Madrid’s reported final proposal is worth €130m, while RB Leipzig are seeking approximately €150m before agreeing to release the player.

RB Leipzig chief executive Marcel Schafer has also addressed the change in Diomande’s agency. Speaking to Sky Germany, he sought to clarify the situation surrounding the player’s representation and the related claims.

Diomande remains under contract at RB Leipzig until June 2030. His current market value is listed at €90m by Transfermarkt, although the figure being discussed for a possible transfer is significantly higher.

The Ivory Coast international earns an annual salary of €750,000 in Germany, equivalent to 487,500,000 CFA francs. The length of his contract gives RB Leipzig a strong negotiating position, with the club not under immediate pressure to sell.

For now, the negotiations remain focused on the fee rather than the agency dispute. Should Real Madrid increase their offer, or RB Leipzig reduce their demand, Diomande would be expected to take the final step towards joining the Spanish giants.

Until that agreement is reached, the winger will remain a RB Leipzig player and his proposed move to Real Madrid will continue to await formal confirmation.