Yan Diomandé Agrees Personal Terms With PSG, Dealt Blow to Liverpool’s Salah Succession Plans

Liverpool’s attempts to identify and secure a successor to Mohamed Salah have encountered a significant obstacle, with their reported top target Yan Diomandé appearing to favour a move to Paris Saint-Germain over Anfield.

The 19-year-old Ivorian international enjoyed a breakout campaign with RB Leipzig in the 2025/26 season, registering 13 goals and nine assists. His performances were central to Leipzig’s qualification for the UEFA Champions League, immediately elevating him into the conversation as one of Europe’s most coveted young wide forwards.

According to a Foot Mercato report, Diomandé has already gone beyond exploratory discussions with PSG, having reached an agreement on personal terms with the reigning back-to-back Champions League winners. Liverpool, who have been heavily linked with the winger as a long-term Salah replacement, reportedly find themselves behind in the transfer race.

Diomandé’s own words have done little to dampen speculation over a Parisian destination. Speaking in an interview with Téléfoot, transcribed by L’Équipe, the winger revealed the depth of his family’s connection to the French capital’s club. “I have loved PSG since I was a kid but I am not looking ahead to my future. I am staying focused on the World Cup, then we will see,” Diomandé said, also noting that his father is a longstanding PSG supporter.

The comments represent a notable development in what has become a high-profile transfer saga. Salah, who spent eight seasons at Anfield and became one of Liverpool’s most decorated players, departed the club at the end of the 2024/25 campaign. Finding a player capable of filling that role on the right flank has been identified as a priority for the club’s recruitment team ahead of the new season.

PSG, buoyed by their consecutive Champions League titles, have emerged as a dominant force in the European transfer market. Their ability to offer Champions League football and, in Diomandé’s case, a culturally familiar environment in a French-speaking city, represents a competitive advantage that English clubs can struggle to match.

Before any transfer business is concluded, Diomandé’s immediate focus is international duty with Ivory Coast at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He is scheduled to feature in a pre-tournament friendly against France on Thursday. The Elephants will then open their group-stage campaign against Ecuador, before facing Germany and Curaçao in what promises to be a demanding group-stage schedule.

At 19, Diomandé would represent a long-term investment for whichever club secures his signature. His profile — a dynamic, goal-contributing wide forward with Champions League experience at club level — aligns closely with what Liverpool have been understood to be seeking in the transfer market this summer. However, based on current reports, PSG hold a clear advantage in negotiations.