Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes is expected to watch Germany vs Ivory Coast at the World Cup on Saturday, with the club's top transfer target Yan Diomande in action. The Reds have already seen a €100m (£86.7m) offer rejected by RB Leipzig for the 19-year-old winger, who is seen as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah.
Diomande, who joined Leipzig from Leganes for £17.3m last summer, scored 13 goals and provided 10 assists in 36 appearances in his debut campaign. Leipzig are holding firm in negotiations, with the player under contract until 2030 and valued at €120m (£104m). Paris Saint-Germain are also interested, but the German club's sporting director Marcel Schafer has stated they are in the 'driver's seat' and under no pressure to sell.
Liverpool's initial offer was a fixed fee of €90m (£78m) plus €10m (£8.6m) in bonuses, but Leipzig are hoping Diomande's performances at the World Cup could drive up the price. The winger earned man of the match in Ivory Coast's 1-0 win over Ecuador on Monday and will face Germany on Saturday.
The Reds will be hoping Germany's Florian Wirtz, signed for £116.5m last summer, can outshine Diomande in the match. Liverpool have already secured the signing of Osasuna winger Victor Munoz for €40m (£34.6m) and are now focused on landing Diomande, though negotiations are described as 'extensive' by German outlet Bild.
