Yan Diomande £100m transfer agreed as Liverpool miss out to long-time rival

The Spanish giants have agreed a deal to sign the Ivory Coast international from RB Leipzig, after finally reaching an agreement with the Bundesliga club. RBL had been holding out for a fee in the region of £100m to part ways with the young winger, who only moved to Germany last summer.

The Reds had been linked with a move for the 19-year-old and explored a deal earlier in the summer for a player who went to the World Cup on the back of 13 goals and 10 assists in 36 games for RBL last term.

But Liverpool were unwilling to meet the Bundesliga club's asking price, seeing an £85m bid turned down and not returning with an improvement offer. Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain were also keen amid claims that Diomande had agreed personal terms, but did not reach Leipzig's price tag.

Real, now under the management of long-time Reds foe Jose Mourinho, had an £85.4m bid for Diomande rejected by Leipzig on Friday.

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Now they have moved with a second bid to get a deal moving and to take Diomande to the Spanish capital. Negotiations over the exact payment of the £100m-plus fee are being agreed upon with Diomande believed to have agreed a five-year deal with Los Blancos.

When asked about his future during the World Cup, Diomande said: "I expect to leave, of course. I have an agent who will manage the rest. But the most important thing right now is to be focused on the World Cup with my country and make history with them."

It means Liverpool, who were linked with a move for the Ivorian earlier this summer, will have to shift their focus elsewhere.

Interested parties, including Arsenal, have been quoted £145m to sign Barcola this summer, with the back-to-back European kings keen to keep him at the Parc des Princes.