Liverpool’s top winger target may just have changed after Real Madrid’s bid for Yan Diomande

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Liverpool supporters are no closer to finding out who their new main man on the wings will be after a frustrating summer chasing shadows.The Reds quickly made RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande their top target heading into the summer, but after being told that the Ivorian prefers to join Paris Saint-Germain in June, the trail has gone cold.Since then, Diomande’s proposed move to Paris has not progressed at all, though, and with something seemingly blocking the road for the European champions, Real Madrid have swooped in. Who should Liverpool’s new top target be after being rejected by Yan Diomande?

Diomande will surely be on his way to the Bernabeu.While that will mean nothing to Liverpool supporters who have long since given up hope of the Ivory Coast international playing in red, it could still have an impact on their summer window, with PSG’s failure to land Diomande surely meaning that the doors close on an exit for Bradley Barcola.Liverpool surely need to move on from BarcolaThere is, obviously, a chance that PSG decide they can sell Barcola without signing Diomande, especially if Liverpool come in with a big offer for the Frenchman.However, the reporting has been consistent in stating that PSG would rather keep Barcola all things being equal, and though capturing Diomande may have softened that stance, it feels like a much more difficult operation for Liverpool to pull off if the youngster heads for Madrid instead.READ MORE: Liverpool vs Sunderland LIVE in Nashville | Pre-season 2026Given the fees involved in Diomande’s potential move, and the well-documented complications regarding his representation, the deal could drag on, and with August already on the horizon, Liverpool cannot afford to wait around in case of a change in direction, which could free up Barcola.Instead, the Reds have to be more proactive, and while Barcola may be the one they really want at this stage, it may well be the case that he is unobtainable. The alternatives are clearly not particularly strong, but Liverpool have been left in a position where they now need to pivot, and quickly.Who could the top target be?There is one, potentially outrageous, detail to keep an eye on regarding Diomande’s proposed arrival at Madrid, and that is the case of Vinicius Jr.With one year left on the Brazilian’s contract, it has been claimed that Real want a resolution with Vinicius this summer.Clearly, the fee would be enormous, but it is strange that Los Blancos are going for Diomande when they already have a number of strong wide options, Vinicius being the best of them.In a dwindling market, maybe Liverpool will see value in going for the nuclear option, just as they did for Alexander Isak next summer.

It could take a similar fee to prise Vinicius away, or potentially even more, while his wages may be unmanageable for the Reds as well.Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesBesides that highly unlikely scenario, it is hard to see from here who Liverpool could opt to go for if Barcola does become impossible to get done.Alternatives have been named, such as Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, Said El Mala of Koln and Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo.However, if Liverpool had truly wanted any of that trio, you get the feeling that a deal would likely have been done by now. All three are young and raw, and the Reds obviously want someone a little more polished.Nico Williams should come into their thinking, but the 23-year-old seems settled on a long contract at Athletic Bilbao, and, in truth, that is where the market dries up for Liverpool.The Reds could have something special up their sleeves, and perhaps that is a shock move for Vinicius, but it feels more likely that they will have to settle for a player they perhaps aren’t completely convinced by.Barcola could still happen, but the longer it goes on without a resolution, and with Madrid now throwing a spanner in the works for PSG, Liverpool’s best laid plans are in danger of being ripped apart.