Barring a dramatic late twist, Yan Diomandé is expected to become a Real Madrid player in the coming days. The Ivorian winger is on the verge of completing one of the biggest transfers of the summer, but the reported €130 million price tag has already divided opinion in Spain.
Spanish media initially celebrated Real Madrid’s success in beating Paris Saint-Germain to the signing of one of Europe’s brightest young talents. PSG had been pursuing Diomandé for several weeks and believed they were in a strong position to secure his signature. However, Real Madrid entered the race at the right moment and gradually took control of the negotiations.
According to reports from Sky Germany and The Athletic, the transfer has not yet been officially completed, but negotiations are now in their final stages. Real Madrid and RB Leipzig are believed to be working on the last contractual details before the deal is announced. Diomandé is reportedly waiting for the clubs to reach a full agreement before undergoing his medical examination and signing his long-term contract at the Santiago Bernabéu.
While Madrid supporters were initially thrilled to see their club outmaneuver PSG in one of the summer’s biggest transfer battles, the excitement has slowly given way to questions over the enormous financial commitment involved. Several Spanish journalists have openly questioned whether paying around €130 million for a player with limited experience at the highest level is a sensible investment.
COPE journalist Gonzalo Miró was among the most outspoken critics. Speaking on the Spanish radio station, he admitted that he was shocked by the player’s rapid rise in value.
“Just ten days ago, he was virtually unknown to the general public,” Miró said. “Now he suddenly carries a market value of this magnitude. His price has exploded because five or six of Europe’s richest clubs entered a bidding war.”
Miró also expressed disbelief at suggestions that Diomandé could eventually replace Vinícius Júnior if the Brazilian were to leave Real Madrid. In his opinion, comparing the two players at this stage is simply unrealistic.
“I would be furious if Real Madrid allowed Vinícius to leave,” he explained. “At his best, Vinícius is a genuine Ballon d’Or contender. Putting Diomandé in the same category today makes absolutely no sense.”
The debate has extended beyond Diomandé’s footballing ability. Fellow COPE journalist Siro López raised questions about the influence of player representatives during the negotiations.
He pointed out that both Diomandé and Vinícius Júnior are represented by Roc Nation, suggesting that the agency may have played an important role behind the scenes. “Real Madrid usually plays chess in the transfer market,” López remarked. “Interestingly, Diomandé and Vinícius share the same agents.”
On El Desmarque, veteran journalist Roberto Gómez praised the work of Diomandé’s representatives rather than the transfer itself.
“If anything, Real Madrid should sign his agent,” Gómez joked. “They’ve managed to negotiate an extraordinary deal for a player who still has everything to prove and who wasn’t initially José Mourinho’s top priority.”
His colleague Mati Prats shared similar concerns, arguing that the transfer fee reflects the increasingly inflated nature of today’s football market.
🚨🚨 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: Yan Diomande a SIGNÉ au Real Madrid. ✅✍️
— RMadrid actu 🇫🇷 (@RMadrid_actu) July 26, 2026
💰130M€.
⌛️ Contrat jusqu'en 2031.
✅ ANNONCE OFFICIELLE DANS 48-72 HEURES. @pepealvarezzz pic.twitter.com/MlTM5qOmrG
“The football world has gone completely crazy,” Prats admitted. “This is simply too much money for a player whose full potential has yet to be confirmed.”
Despite the criticism, Real Madrid remain fully convinced that Diomandé possesses the qualities needed to become one of the world’s best wingers. Club president Florentino Pérez and manager José Mourinho reportedly see him as a long-term cornerstone of the club’s sporting project.
Whether the €130 million investment ultimately proves to be a masterstroke or an expensive gamble will only become clear once Diomandé begins his Real Madrid career. For now, one thing is certain: few transfers this summer have generated as much excitement—and as much controversy—as the Ivorian’s imminent move to the Spanish giants.
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