- RB Leipzig has confirmed no agreement has been reached with Real Madrid for Yan Diomande despite ongoing negotiations.
RB Leipzig confirm no agreement with Real Madrid
RB Leipzig Managing director Marcel Schäfer has confirmed that the club have not yet reached an agreement with Real Madrid over the transfer of Yan Diomande, despite ongoing negotiations.
While reports suggest Diomande has stayed away from Leipzig's preseason camp as negotiations continue, the club maintains that his absence is due to illness.
Real Madrid has offered a package worth €120 million with a €100 million fixed fee plus €20 million in add-ons. While the German club is expected to hold out for a higher price closer to their €130m valuation, there is confidence on all sides that a deal will be struck in due course.
Agent dispute explained
One of the reasons Yan Diomande has been put on hold is due to a disagreement regarding his agent status. His previous agency, Maxidel Management, says that it still holds a valid contract with the player and has therefore filed a complaint with FIFA after Diomande moved to Roc Nation Sports, the firm that is now handling the transfer talks. The issue is primarily about who has the legal right to represent the player and to earn the agent's commission.
Marcel Schäfer responds to transfer speculation
Sky Germany: Whether the agent dispute could cause the Diomande transfer to fall through, RB Leipzig managing director Marcel Schäfer said:
“From my perspective, it’s a clear no. I’m not aware of that. There has been a change of agents. Our point of contact is now Roc Nation—that's something Yan made very clear to us. I don’t think a transfer would fall through because of that, if it even comes to a transfer in the first place.”
“It’s clear that some so-called transfer experts reported a few days ago that the deal was done or gave it the ‘here we go.’ That’s simply not the case. We’re not at that stage yet.”
Schäfer stressed that negotiations are still ongoing and dismissed suggestions that the agent dispute would derail a potential transfer, although he reiterated that no agreement has yet been reached between the clubs.