Real Madrid have completed the signing of Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig on a long-term contract running until the summer of 2033.
The Spanish club announced the agreement on Thursday evening, confirming that a deal had been reached with RB Leipzig for the highly rated forward. The transfer had been expected for some time, but negotiations took longer than anticipated because of a dispute involving Diomande’s current and former agents.
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Real Madrid will pay more than 120m euros for the player. The fixed fee is understood to be 125m euros, with a further 10m euros available through bonuses considered relatively easy to achieve. An additional 5m euros could be paid if more demanding conditions are met.
Leganes will also receive 5% of the fixed transfer fee as part of the agreement.
The deal represents a major investment in a player who has made only 46 official senior appearances for clubs in the top flight. Diomande played 10 matches for Leganes before moving to RB Leipzig, where he has featured 36 times.
Of those appearances for the German club, 33 came in the Bundesliga and three in the German Cup. His 13 senior international appearances for Ivory Coast take his overall record at senior level to 59 matches.
Real Madrid believe that experience has provided enough evidence of Diomande’s ability and potential to become one of the most promising forwards in the transfer market.
The Ivorian is capable of operating on either flank, giving manager Jose Mourinho greater flexibility when selecting and shaping his attack. His ability to play from both the right and left is expected to offer Real Madrid more ways to construct an aggressive, dynamic and less predictable forward line.
The length of the contract underlines the club’s confidence in Diomande’s long-term prospects. Despite his relatively limited senior experience, Real Madrid have identified qualities they believe could allow him to develop into a leading attacking player.
The announcement brings an end to a prolonged transfer process, with the disagreements between the player’s former and current representatives delaying confirmation of the move. Once those issues were resolved, Real Madrid were able to formally announce their agreement with RB Leipzig.
Diomande now joins the Spanish club after establishing himself in Germany and earning international recognition with Ivory Coast. His versatility, combined with his record at club and international level, has convinced Real Madrid that he has the attributes to become an important part of their attacking plans.
