Liverpool summer transfer target Yan Diomande has opened up on the tragic death of his sister Roxane aged just 15. The 19-year-old winger, who is one of European football's hottest properties after shining for RB Leipzig, is in talks to join Liverpool this summer.
World Cup star's personal tragedy
Diomande is currently impressing at the World Cup, where he shone in Ivory Coast's opening victory over Ecuador. In a moving piece for The Players' Tribune, he reflected on the loss of his sister, who was a key figure in his formative football years as he tried to make it as a professional in Europe and the US.
After failing trials at Bournemouth, Chelsea, Rangers, Olympiakos and Crystal Palace, as well as failing to gain interest from MLS B teams, Diomande signed for Spanish side Leganes. But a few weeks after making his debut against Real Madrid, he received the dreadful news that his sister had died after having her drink spiked.
Emotional tribute to Roxane
Reflecting on crying tears of joy with Roxane after his Leganes debut, Diomande wrote: 'That was back when I used to have emotions. Now, I don't feel anything. It's like I'm not even human. Since you died, I'm just blank.'
'I don't even think I shed a tear the day they told me that you were gone. I was just in shock. It was a few weeks after I made my debut for Leganes. Who makes their debut at 18 against Real Madrid? It was too crazy. It was a dream. And then it was a nightmare.'
He continued: 'Someone kept calling me from back home. I was annoyed. I didn't understand why they kept calling me. I picked up, and they didn't even soften it. You know how it is back home. No emotions. Just…….. Your sister is gone.'
'What?''She died.''What are you talking about?''Somebody put something in her drink at a party, and she never woke up. She is gone.'You were 15. 15.'
Diomande added: 'I never got any answers. I don't know if I want to know why. Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe it's just something that happens in our country. Maybe I could have protected you. I don't know. I try to trust God's plan. It's all I can do. I don't try to forget, because I know I won't forget. All I can do is use the pain to work harder, and to do everything we dreamed about.'
'I wrote this because I can't speak about it. I wrote this because I want you to know that I will make sure that you live on. I will make sure that everybody knows your name. The whole world. Everything I do on a football pitch, it's for you.'
Diomande is next in action at the World Cup in Ivory Coast's clash with Germany on Saturday.
