Mourinho backs Real Madrid bid for Leipzig’s Diomande as City and Arsenal approaches rebuffed

Jose Mourinho has personally moved to accelerate Real Madrid’s pursuit of RB Leipzig winger Yankuba Diomande, despite rival interest from Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool and an initial bid being rejected by the German club.

According to reports on Saturday, the Real Madrid coach has given the green light for the club’s hierarchy to intensify negotiations for the Ivory Coast international, who is viewed as a leading target for the current transfer window.

Real Madrid recently lodged an opening offer worth €90m plus a further €10m in add-ons, but Leipzig turned it down. The Bundesliga side are understood to be under no pressure to sell and are aware that Diomande is attracting attention from several major European clubs.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reported that both Manchester City and Arsenal have held talks with Diomande in recent days. However, the 20-year-old has so far shown no willingness to agree to a move to either Premier League side.

Romano added that Mourinho has intervened “strongly” in the operation following the rejection of Real Madrid’s first offer, pushing the club to continue their efforts to sign the player rather than switch to alternative options.

Mourinho wants more pace in attack

Mourinho’s stance comes even though Real Madrid’s attacking options already include Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz.

The Portuguese coach is described as believing that his forward line still requires greater speed and dynamism, and that Diomande’s profile as a winger fits exactly what he wants to add to the squad this summer.

Diomande, who has impressed for Leipzig in the Bundesliga, is considered one of the standout wide prospects in Europe, which has contributed to the high fee involved and the level of competition for his signature.

Liverpool bid rejected amid PSG talk

Liverpool have also tested Leipzig’s resolve with an offer mirroring Real Madrid’s opening proposal of €90m plus €10m in add-ons. That bid was similarly turned down by the German club.

Reports have suggested that Diomande has reached an agreement in principle with Paris Saint-Germain, adding another potential destination to an increasingly complex transfer battle.

However, despite those claims, PSG have not yet made any formal move or appeared in the negotiations in an official capacity, leaving Real Madrid, Leipzig and the player’s camp to shape the current state of talks.

For now, Leipzig’s rejection of bids from both Real Madrid and Liverpool, combined with Diomande’s apparent reluctance to join Manchester City or Arsenal and the lack of an official approach from PSG, has left Mourinho and Real Madrid determined to keep pushing in their attempt to bring the Ivorian winger to the Santiago Bernabeu.