Yan Diomande’s proposed transfer from RB Leipzig to Real Madrid is not expected to be blocked by a legal dispute between two agencies claiming rights over the Ivory Coast forward, according to sources close to FIFA.
The disagreement has cast uncertainty over the deal two weeks after Real Madrid formally confirmed their interest in the 23-year-old. However, legal sources familiar with FIFA’s position told Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo that the governing body does not have jurisdiction over disputes involving player-agent commissions.
Such disagreements, the sources said, must be settled directly between the parties involved and will not affect Diomande’s ability to move to Real Madrid.
The transfer is expected to be completed once the German club registers the player internationally. Real Madrid would then be able to complete the process required for him to obtain a licence to play for the Spanish club.
FIFA’s regulations are described by the sources as clear on the issue, with players entitled to exercise their right to transfer without being obstructed by disputes between representatives or agencies.
The same principle was previously affirmed by FIFA during the case involving former France international Lassana Diarra. According to the sources, it has remained a central guiding principle in the organisation’s regulations for several years and provides players with legal protection when similar conflicts arise.
The sources went further, claiming that even if Diomande opted to terminate his contract with RB Leipzig unilaterally, FIFA would immediately grant him the right to transfer and play in the Spanish capital. Any compensation he might then be required to pay RB Leipzig for ending the contract would be treated as a separate matter from his guaranteed right to play.
The dispute centres on Max Gradeles and his company, Maxidell Management, which oversaw Diomande’s move from Leganes to RB Leipzig a year ago. Diomande is now represented by Roc Nation, the agency that also manages the affairs of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior.
People familiar with the matter say Maxidell has filed a complaint with FIFA, alleging a breach of contract. The company claims RB Leipzig negotiated with Roc Nation without consulting Maxidell, triggering the confrontation between the two agencies and adding a legal complication to the transfer.
Despite the dispute, Diomande’s move appears likely to go ahead in the coming days. The FIFA position, as reported by Mundo Deportivo, is that the argument over agency representation and commissions cannot prevent the player from completing a transfer.
Diomande has emerged as one of European football’s most highly regarded young talents after an outstanding season in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig. His form has made him a major target for Real Madrid as they seek to strengthen their attack and compensate for the departures of some of their established stars.
The case has become one of the most closely watched issues of the current summer transfer window, but the legal argument between the agencies is not expected to change the player’s route to Real Madrid.
