Diomandé joins leipzig’s camp. Real finalise the deal, Barça finalise the narrative

Yan Diomandé has arrived at RB Leipzig’s training camp in Austria and started working individually. The explanation is painfully ordinary: as long as he remains a Leipzig player, he must fulfil his contractual duties. According to Sky Sport Germany journalists Philipp Hinze and Florian Plettenberg, his move to Real Madrid remains at an advanced stage and is not in danger.

The clubs are discussing the final financial structure of a deal expected to comfortably exceed €120 million. They still need to determine how much will be guaranteed and how much will be included in bonuses. Diomandé has not yet received permission to undergo his medical, so for now he is training in Austria instead of posing with a shirt at the Santiago Bernabéu.

At Barcelona, a potential €120 million transfer would already produce a five-year strategy, seven “decisive weeks” and reports claiming that the player has dreamed of joining Barça since childhood. Real are discussing the payment structure instead. A small difference between negotiating a transfer and producing a television series.

Diomandé is only 19, but he could cost more than some of Barcelona’s entire rescue plans. Madrid have not signed him yet, although the negotiations continue to move in that direction. Barça can therefore add another name to their favourite squad: “players we followed before they became expensive”.