29 Jun 2026 12:46:29
Seeming as Carra, Robbo and VG have said something. I thought it best to chime in with my 2p worth.
A deal was agreed in principle with RBL and contract details were agreed. Diomande then said his preference is PSG. With a deal being agreed in principle, PSG will have to match it. They can afford it and will pay it knowing they will get a big chunk of it back with the Barcola sale. It's pretty much down to the player and at the moment it looks like PSG will be his destination. Things can and do change tho, it's not fully dead in the water.
That being said Barcola was seen as the main alternative all along.
We have had interest in him going back before he signed for PSG. A deal for him is seen as less complicated as the one for Diomande, this is mostly down to Diomande's new management team.
I've had a couple of meetings with Diomande's management team recently (not about him) and to say they are a bunch of clowns is an understatement. They have a US centric view on football, they want to move like they do in US sports trading. It's going to rub a lot of clubs the wrong way. Best to steer away from any player regardless of how good they are if they are represented by them.
29 Jun 2026 13:14:36
TheFields, thanks for adding the context as that is helpful. I mean, in terms of the PSG interest and Diomande's preference, perhaps swaying the deal.
Also, think that football transfers are going to be more and more the way you describe.
Important to stay ahead of the curve and be bringing in players before they get to that point. We've never really been the kind of club that attracted that kind of ego / enterouge anyways.
Regarding the player.
No matter how much potential he has, $100mil pound on potential was going to be a massive gamble.
We gambled a British transfer record fee on a sure-fire Isak. Sure, the injuries etc. But it is yet another example, that spending isn't the silver bullet.
If it really is time to move on from Diomande then cool, let's move on and see who else we can bring in.
We still need another attacker, maybe two if Gakpo does eventually leave us.
29 Jun 2026 13:23:55
@TheFields, Would totally agree on absolutely avoiding that management team, given their reputation, and it appears your experience confirms that.
Diomande appears to be a fantastic prospect on the pitch, but there must be serious considerations made about issues off the pitch.
29 Jun 2026 13:27:32
Cheers, Fields. That sounds extremely plausible to me. We move onto Monsieur Bradley Barcola.
It certainly seems he divides opinion, but if he is the guy. He is the guy. Knowing Iraola and wingers, he'll be elite after 2 training sessions.
29 Jun 2026 13:22:48
Cheers fields, not surprised about that last part at all. As I said yesterday, the whole thing feels like a con, especially with Diomande's claims of his father being a lifelong supporter of whatever team seems to suit him at any given moment. I've no interest in that sort of nonsense. Major Nigerian prince email vibes If we're being messed around, we should walk away.
29 Jun 2026 13:35:03
Last time we were messed about like this was with Caicedo. Everyone was very upset here at the time but it was a blessing we didn't sign him in all honesty.
29 Jun 2026 13:37:02
The more I think about it.
Isak upfront.
Gakpo Wirtz Szobo behind him with Rio and Harvey on bench to rotate.
Gravy and (a destroyer baller midfielder) behind looks pretty good to me with Macca, Nyoni, Jones to rotate.
Let's not overthink it and actually add that midfield destroyer which is the actual need of the hour. Not Barcola, not Diamonde.
Sort the midfielder out first.
Thank heavens we didn't overspend on a player that wasn't needed and now solve real problems that actually improve us.
Then we need to replace Vvd. Ideally this season we can see how Jacquet and Leoni Parmesan work out. Then take that decision next year.
We kind of don't need to overthink this. Just one midfielder (top tier) and decent RB solves a lot of issues for us.
29 Jun 2026 13:38:36
After The Fields' excellent explanation, I think we should walk away from the Diomande Circus and focus on a player who has a mind of his own and really wants to join us.
I'd be happy with Barcola. I'm sure Iraola will improve him even more.
29 Jun 2026 13:39:08
On a separate note, I really don't want to help fund Diomande to PSG by pursuing Barcola lol.
For real tho, I'm not totally enamoured by Barcola in any case, but that would be the ultimate slap in the face hahahahaha.
29 Jun 2026 13:47:12
Jay-Z was heavily involved in the negotiations, apparently.
We all know the potential consequences for the move/player when agents act like c***z.
29 Jun 2026 14:02:37
Taurus, I don't get Caicedo statement. I think he would have been great in our midfield.
29 Jun 2026 14:04:21
@Liver_La, You'd prefer a 'player who 'has a mind of his own' eh? Isn't that what Diomande is doing?
29 Jun 2026 14:04:55
Faithinworks, fully with you on that one, mate, I really like the look of Mika Godts to be honest. Now I've only seen highlight reels as I don't watch Dutch ball but he looks a talent, he put up serious numbers this season, more than Diomande, and could be brought in for less than half the price.
29 Jun 2026 14:07:41
I'd also step away from the Barcola deal, let PSG be stuck with him... vastly overrated for me.
29 Jun 2026 14:08:39
If Diomande does not want to come, I don't really think he is the sort of player we want moving to PSG over us to sit on the bench.
I've only watched him a couple of times in this World Cup and he looks nothing special. He looked very average against Germany, first touch did not look great, looks like another Sancho to me.
I would rather have the right winger from Bournemouth who turned us down, obviously not wanting to play second fiddle to Salah, shows how he thinks.
29 Jun 2026 14:14:12
Not bothered at all, this guy would have been doubled up on straight away, and without space can't do his fancy step overs and jinks past defenders, wouldn't give PSG any of our cash to help soften the cost of this twit.
Move on to players who have proven records that can do a job in similar league to ours, experience needed now, not more youngsters for the future.
29 Jun 2026 14:14:18
WDW 1V
I very much doubt it.
29 Jun 2026 14:17:25
So Diomande is happy to move to PSG where he has less than zero chance of removing Doue as 1st choice on the right wing. He would mostly be playing in a farmers league some weeks, if lucky, with little chance of making the starting 11 in the CL.
Diomande wants to be the main man on the right in a top team playing CL football week in, week out. He doesn't want to sit on the bench during big CL games, twiddling his thumbs.
Liverpool can guarantee him gravitas of top dog at the club, a sure fire starter in all the big games in the best league on earth. He agreed a contract with Liverpool. Liverpool agreed a fee in principle with RBL. Liverpool continue in discussions with RBL around payment structure.
'Rumours' of Diomande's preference are just that. PSG have not made an offer and will not waste 100mil on a player who won't play big games, even with the Barcola fee. Again, just 'rumours' of discussion between both parties.
The Barcola deal is completely seperate to said transfer above. It isn't a scenario of one or the other, it is the intention to get both. Liverpool have been admirers of Barcola for sometime. He isn't happy at PSG and has (currently) stated his preferred team would be Liverpool. So Liverpool are in contractual talks with the player via management team.
That is where I believe we are at, in my uneducated opinion.
29 Jun 2026 14:40:37
Thanks for the good information in America, Fields.
If Diomande's trip to PSG is likely.
What target are we going to target?
I think we need to reinforce other positions in the transfer market this summer, but I'm curious about the central midfielder, right fullback, and other targets!
29 Jun 2026 14:48:51
I don't think I'm the only one, but I really do not want Barcola forget that he is lw that has played most of his career in that position. I just don't see a player there, he has buckets of pace, but that's where it stops for me.
His end product is woeful, and at his age he should be showing signs of improving it. I would love Liverpool to walk away, re-assess and find the right target for the rw rather than try and make a square peg fit a round hole.
29 Jun 2026 14:50:08
Cheers, Fields.
Yes, this is similar to what ITK space wrote earlier that I pasted on discussions.
Have to wait and see, but looking unlikely. ?
29 Jun 2026 15:15:32
Cheers, TheFields, for spilling all the necessary tea re: YD's transfer to PSG.
As for his management team, I am not surprised with the way you describe their MO. They are trying to put an American marketing spin on an industry that they know very little about, esp.
when they are trying to market their talents. Seems they have been taking "very good advice" from Todd Boehly and his Chelsea cast of clowns.
29 Jun 2026 15:20:16
John Barnes, also worth considering the way the PSG "brand" is viewed by people in the States. They are seen as a glamor club in a glimmering city. The people working with this lad know nothing of footballing culture or heritage. They are the ones pushing him there.
29 Jun 2026 15:09:00
Lads best keep stum on Diomande until he either signs for us or PSG other wise if he does sign for us you will all look stupid with your comments.
29 Jun 2026 15:45:50
Don't understand why we're not looking into the South American market. Also, Brazil seem to churn out a steady stream of talent. Is it harder to get the work permits? Must be something stopping us tapping into these players. We need to start picking up the
Next v juniors at starting prices, not the finished top end prices, and to long term contracts to stop foreigner clubs poaching.
Vickery seems to be knowledgeable in this area of the globe, get him on our payroll...
29 Jun 2026 15:51:14
Darren A, smaller clubs like Brighton and Bournemouth offer almost guaranteed first team football, which helps with the WP process. All of our younger recent acquisitions from South America we bought as prospects, so most ended up getting loaned out to meet the WP requirements.
29 Jun 2026 16:39:26
Carry, based on your sources, do we believe we have now missed out on Diamonde, or is there a slim chance that we may still be successful.
29 Jun 2026 17:33:34
This US management team, who are they and who else do they manage?
29 Jun 2026 18:01:51
Roc Nation. I believe they also represent Vinicius Jr.
29 Jun 2026 19:28:30
Ta, PB. A nation of prima donnas.
29 Jun 2026 20:20:23
Can I just say one thing?
What is all the fuss about this guy?
From what I have seen, I prefer any of these over him.
#1. Bukayo Saka. Arsenal FC - 24 years old. ...
#2. Bryan Mbeumo. Manchester United - 26 years old. ...
#3. Estevao. Chelsea FC - 19 years old.
...
#4. Antoine Semenyo. Manchester City - 26 years old. ...
#5. Pedro Neto. Chelsea FC - 26 years old. ...
#6. Mohammed Kudus. Tottenham Hotspur - 25 years old. ...
#7. Amad Diallo. ...
#8. Noni Madueke.
And they all have Prem experience.
29 Jun 2026 22:55:20
Club needs to pull the offer and walk away now. Don't think Barcola is good enough myself either. Better to wait until January when Rayan has an active release fee, I think.
30 Jun 2026 09:40:19
Langland, bar Estevao, none of the players you have listed are really a patch on Diomande, who has the potential to become a Ballon d'Or winner in a matter of years. Of course Semenyo is a fantastic player who I'd have loved to have had at Liverpool.
Diomande is in a way somewhat similar to Semenyo in terms of graft and unorthodox style, but his ceiling is much higher.
30 Jun 2026 11:35:08
Imagine, if we just went and got Semenyo when we had the chance *crying*.
Lol.