‘Stopped Everything’—How Chelsea Missed Out on €100 Million Arsenal, Liverpool Target

Yan Diomande is expected to be on the move this summer.

Chelsea came close to landing Yan Diomande. | Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/Getty Images

RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande has admitted he turned down an offer from Chelsea in 2024 to pursue an alternative path, which has led him on to the radars of Europe’s elite.

Arsenal and Liverpool are among the Premier League giants chasing Diomande, who is a major target for Bayern Munich and has been valued at close to €100 million (£87 million, $118.7 million) after a breakout season in Leipzig.

The 19-year-old is now considered to be one of the most exciting young wingers around and Chelsea came agonisingly close to snapping him up after taking Diomande on trial when he was 17 and still an unknown teenager on the books at Florida’s DME Academy.

“It was a difficult time,” Diomande recalled to BILD. “I felt like for many people it was always just about money.

Diomande could be among the summer’s most expensive transfers. | Ronny HARTMANN/AFP/Getty Images

“Many told me I absolutely had to play for Chelsea. Then I stopped everything and made a decision for myself. I knew the president of Leganés; he had helped with my move to the USA. Suddenly I was faced with a choice: Leganés or Chelsea? It was risky, but luckily the right decision.

“I think patience is crucial in football. It’s not always just about money. If you play well, it will come naturally. I’m young, I need to play to increase my sporting value, to improve. And I wouldn’t get that on the bench.”

In a previous interview with RBLive, Diomande accused his agent of sabotaging the move by demanding too much money after trials with Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Rangers. Reports also name Bournemouth as one of the teams to have taken Diomande on trial.

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Chelsea Left Licking Wounds of Rejection

Liam Rosenior (left) was appointed under the watch of influential co-owner Behdad Eghbali. | Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images

Chelsea’s recruitment and scouting departments have attracted plenty of criticism in recent years, but those who pursued an agreement with Diomande clearly had their eye on the ball.

He was an unknown youngster at the time but was on the cusp of exploding, dazzling in Spain with Leganés just months after turning down Chelsea’s approach. Six months of senior football later and he was joining Leipzig for €20 million.

This is exactly the sort of deal Chelsea have been trying to strike under the BlueCo ownership. The plan is to find the £100 million-rated player before they actually cost £100 million, and there is no doubt Diomande would have cost a fraction of that fee if Chelsea could have tied him down in 2024.

Instead, Diomande is now expected to command a monster transfer fee next summer, when Chelsea are set to turn to the market for a new forward. The Blues are highly unlikely to join the race for their one-time target, however, given the cost of the deal does not align with their approach to recruitment.

At a time in which many fans are turning on the ownership for their transfer strategy, Chelsea’s hierarchy would have loved to be able to point to Diomande as a success.

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Diomande Destined for the Top

Chelsea could have snatched a real bargain. | Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/Getty Images

To think Diomande was playing academy football in the United States as recently as 2024 is mind-boggling.

The Ivory Coast winger has wasted little time justifying his potential, catching the eye in Spain before dominating Germany with Leipzig, who already face a battle to keep hold of Diomande for more than one season.

Nearly every club chasing a superstar forward have been linked with Diomande. As is customary with Bundesliga talents, Bayern Munich have already made it clear they want to keep the young winger in Germany’s top flight, but they face a battle to compete with the finances of the Premier League’s elite.

Arsenal and Liverpool have enjoyed the strongest links to Diomande, who is also known to be a target for a Tottenham Hotspur side desperate to rebound after two disastrous domestic campaigns. Manchester United have also been linked but are expected to prioritise their spending on other areas of the team, namely the midfield.

It is feasible that Chelsea could involve themselves in Diomande’s next move, clearly well aware and appreciative of his talents, but doing so would require a major shift in their divisive approach to transfers because of the immense costs.

Red Bull director Oliver Mintzlaff recently insisted a bid of €90 million would not be enough to convince Leipzig to sell Diomande this summer, making it clear suitors are going to have to dig deep into their pockets to sign the winger.

“He’s the boss!” Diomande laughed. “And there are always many people involved in a transfer—clubs, agents, family, players. So I don’t make these decisions alone.

“One thing I can promise: I’ll never argue with my club! Of course, I probably won’t finish my career here. When the time comes, we’ll talk. But if I stay here in the summer, I’ll be absolutely happy.”

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