Real Madrid sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig in deal worth up to €140m

Yan Diomande's signing from RB Leipzig in a deal worth up to €140 million (£119m; $161m) is the strongest sign of Real Madrid's determination to supercharge their squad after two seasons of disappointment.

He is the sixth summer arrival for the returning José Mourinho's new project at the Santiago Bernabéu, following Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella, and Carlos Espi.

As they respond to back-to-back seasons without a major trophy, Madrid have come out on top against Liverpool, who pursued the 19-year-old Diomande earlier this summer, and Paris Saint-Germain, who dropped out of the running at the end of July.

When The Athletic revealed on July 24 that Madrid had entered the race to sign the Ivory Coast winger, the reaction among the club's fans and wider football was one of great surprise.

Diomande's name had not been linked with them, and recent developments had suggested he was close to joining PSG, winners of the past two Champions League titles.

Things heated up for Madrid after Diomande's involvement in the World Cup ended. Following Ivory Coast's 2-1 defeat in the round of 32 against Norway on June 30, the Spanish club began to make concrete moves, including the first of three offers to Leipzig.

Just a year after signing Diomande from Spain's Leganés by meeting his €20 million release clause, Leipzig have negotiated the biggest sale in their history, significantly surpassing the €90m they received from Manchester City for defender Joško Gvardiol in 2023.

Deal Structure

• Initial fee: Approximately €125 million
• Potential add-ons: €15 million
• Contract length: Seven years

If all add-ons are achieved, Diomande would become Real Madrid's record signing. Jude Bellingham's 2023 move from Borussia Dortmund for an initial €103 million has already cost them more than €125 million with add-ons, and that fee could rise further to approximately €134 million.

Here, informed by multiple sources — many of whom asked to speak anonymously to protect relationships — The Athletic tells the story behind one of this summer's biggest and most unexpected transfers.

Why Everyone Wants Yan Diomande

On July 16 last year, Leipzig announced the signing of Diomande from Leganés, a club in the southern suburbs of Madrid who had just been relegated to Spain's second tier.

Diomande had agreed to join Leganés only the previous November, shortly after turning 18. He was a free agent at the time. He had spent his youth career in the Ivory Coast, but also had two years at DME Academy — an "elite sports academy and educational institution" in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Catch Up On The Story: When World Cup star Yan Diomande was a U.S. sports prodigy: 'Everyone was calling about him' — The journey that could make the 19-year-old a more than €100m footballer in many ways began in Florida.

His senior debut came against Real Madrid 18 months ago, coming on with four minutes to play in a match Leganés lost 3-2 at the Bernabéu. Across that season, he made 10 appearances, scoring two goals and making one assist.

At the end of that 2024-25 campaign, Leipzig acted decisively.