Liverpool transfer news - Yan Diomande alternative identified, World Cup star bidding war

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Liverpool are set to miss out on a top transfer target again, in a development with echoes of Real Madrid's capture of Jude Bellingham three years ago this summer.In truth, it was always going to be difficult to convince Yan Diomande that Liverpool in their current state are a better prospect than PSG to meet the precocious Ivorian's lofty ambitions, and that has proved to be the case as the 19-year-old has chosen the back-to-back Champions League winners as his next club should he leave RB Leipzig in the current window (The Athletic).It is unclear what Liverpool's next step is with regard to Diomande. Sky Sports have reported that the Reds were reluctant to meet Leipzig's €130m asking price, "which appears to give PSG a clear run at the winger," and GiveMeSport have claimed accordingly that Liverpool have now ended their interest as a result.TEAMtalk, however, insist the Reds' "immediate focus remains on Diomande" but point towards PSG contract rebel Bradley Barcola as the next alternative, who "will seek a move if he cannot secure a guaranteed first-team role next season" - plenty more on him to come.Frustratingly, L'Equipe (via Get French Football News) have even claimed that the agreement - which is "very close" - will see PSG offer a lower salary to Diomande than the one Liverpool were reportedly willing to pay, while the transfer fee will also be lower due to "close ties between [Nasser] Al-Khelaifi [the PSG chairman] and Leipzig's management".This is what we're up against.

We know what we have in him."Of course, if Yan continues like this, the time will come when we give him the opportunity to take the next step – but not this year."That seems hard to believe, as Liverpool evidently had sufficient encouragement to launch a formal bid for the player, and Diomande is therefore still expected to make the move to the French capital.Fabrizio Romano has reported as much, suggesting that Leipzig want more than €100m or a lower fee with a loan to keep him in Saxony for one more season.Content cannot be displayed without consentAccording to Romano, Liverpool will not return to the table for Diomande "unless the player changes his mind." However, the Italian transfer guru did provide a positive thread for Liverpool fans to cling onto on his YouTube channel in the form of an update on PSG winger Bradley Barcola, who has long been linked with an Anfield move.Romano refuted the claims of French sources that Barcola will stay at the Parc de Princes this summer, reiterating that "there is still a possibility" for the 23-year-old Frenchman to move on - with Barcola "remaining a name" for Liverpool."Remember what I always told you about Liverpool and Bradley Barcola," Romano said. And now, after a few weeks, we are going in that direction - but aqain, it depends if PSG give the green light to the exit of Barcola this summer or not."But there is movement around the player since a long time."Sky Sports have echoed this, while Marca journalist Matteo Moretto teased on X that Liverpool are "planning new contacts" with Barcola, who has shown his class at club and international level but has struggled to break into the formidable forward lines of either PSG or France.Content cannot be displayed without consentWhile Diomande's ceiling looks potentially even higher than Barcola's, the Frenchman - who predominantly plays on the left side of the attack - still has all the tools to prove himself a world class player and would arguably offer more certainty having put up strong numbers over a number of seasons as opposed to just one, in Diomande's case.PSG's apparent victory in the race for Diomande appears to have had no impact on their pursuit of Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche, according to Romano again, with the 24-year-old also previously touted as a potential target for Liverpool this summer.Other credible alternatives (The Athletic) are Brighton's Yankuba Minteh, Lille's Matias Fernandez-Pardo and FC Koln's Said El Mala.Koln need to sell El Mala... or do they?A pair of contrasting reports emerged from Germany over the weekend regarding the third player in that proposed shortlist for Liverpool, FC Koln's Said El Mala.The 19-year-old German enjoyed a similarly strong breakout season to Diomande last term, scoring 13 goals and assisting four from just 20 Bundesliga starts, and has already been the subject of an accepted offer from Brentford - which the player turned down (Sky Sports Germany).The bid in question amounted to around €50m and could have broke the Bees' transfer record.

Capable of playing up front or out on the left flank, he is a completely different type of winger to Diomande but has offered more of a consistent box threat in his time at Koln so far.Newcastle have also been linked with El Mala as a replacement for Anthony Gordon, which - in this writer's view - makes it practically a guarantee that Liverpool will sign him.You heard it here first!Bidding war for Bouaddi between "Europe's biggest clubs"Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi continues to be linked with a move to Liverpool - and just about every other top club in Europe, for that matter.According to Spanish publication Diario AS, offers arriving for Bouaddi are "incessant" and a "war between Europe's biggest clubs" is expected as teams scrap for the 18-year-old prodigy's signature.AS claim that PSG, Manchester City, Arsenal and Bayern are all in the mix along with the Reds for the €80m-rated talent, but that "it can't be ruled out that Lille will prolong the negotiations and wait another year to sell him to drive up his price."French outlet RMC Sport have thrown Manchester United's name into the mix, too, but rule out a move from PSG. He has played a high-intensity brand of football at Newcastle since joining four years ago and while he has been influential with his rare combination of Brazilian flair and dogged aggression, he has never been the quickest player and Liverpool have seen with Fabinho and Alexis Mac Allister how quickly things can start to go wrong when a player's physicality fails them.In Iraola's system, even more physical demands will be placed on the central midfielders and there is no guarantee Guimaraes would be able to adapt to this - though his talent is unquestionable.It certainly is intriguing, though, that Liverpool sounded out a potential move with the player - but it sounds as if that's as far as it went.Other reports todayLiverpool have reportedly told Federico Chiesa to find a new club, according to Football Insider writer Wayne Veysey.