Real Madrid sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig for £120m

Real Madrid have secured the signing of Côte d’Ivoire international Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig for a fee reaching £120m. The 19-year-old winger has committed to a seven-year contract with the Spanish club.

This transfer makes Diomande the most expensive African player in football history. He surpasses the £72m fee Arsenal paid to Lille for Nicolas Pepe in 2019. If the full £120m is paid, Diomande will become the fourth most expensive player ever, trailing only Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Alexander Isak. His valuation could also exceed the £115m Real Madrid paid for Jude Bellingham in June 2023.

Diomande arrives in Madrid as the sixth addition to the squad under head coach Jose Mourinho. He joins new signings Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, and Carlos Espi. The winger previously spent time in a United States academy before moving to Leganes in 2025 and later joining Leipzig.

During the 2025-26 Bundesliga season, Diomande was named the league's Young Player of the Season. He recorded 12 goals and eight assists during that campaign. On the international stage, he featured in all four matches for Côte d’Ivoire during their World Cup campaign, which ended in the round of 32 against Norway.

Real Madrid beat competition from Paris St-Germain for the player's signature. PSG had been leading the race for the teenager but withdrew on Sunday following the rejection of a £102.5m bid. Liverpool also showed interest earlier in June with a £69m offer that was turned down as they looked to replace Mohamed Salah, who recently moved to Trabzonspor.