Liverpool are weighing whether to return with a bigger offer for Yan Diomande after an opening approach was rebuffed.
According to The Athletic, the Reds told RB Leipzig they would pay a package worth €100m (£86.8m) for the Ivory Coast forward, only for the Bundesliga side to say no.
The teenager remains the priority. Diomande has long been Andoni Iraola’s preferred option to strengthen the wide areas, with Mohamed Salah’s departure leaving a sizeable hole to fill.
His pace, dribbling and directness mark him out as one of the most exciting young wingers in Europe. That reputation was built on a breakout season at Leipzig.
Liverpool weigh club-record bid for Leipzig’s Diomande
Diomande impressed regularly in the Bundesliga and on the European stage, quickly establishing himself as a key figure despite his age.
He is comfortable off either flank, a versatility that adds to his appeal. Leipzig, though, are in no hurry to sell.
They want to keep the 19-year-old and hand him a new contract, viewing him as central to their future.
Only an offer well beyond €130m is expected to change their stance. That leaves Liverpool with a tough call.
Meeting the valuation would mean a fee north of £115m, placing Diomande among the most expensive signings English football has seen.
The question is whether a raw, if hugely talented, teenager justifies it. Jamie Carragher recently warned the Reds would be buying potential rather than the finished article.
The club have alternatives in mind, too. Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, FC Köln’s Said El Mala and Lille’s Matias Fernandez-Pardo have all been assessed, while Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola is admired.
One name has dropped off. West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville drew interest earlier in the year, but nothing has progressed there.
Diomande, meanwhile, continues to boost his stock at the World Cup with Ivory Coast.
