RB Leipzig chief denies Yan Diomande will join PSG despite claims summer transfer is close

Leipzig will not allow their rising star Diomande to leave the club during the current transfer window, despite intense interest from Paris Saint-Germain. The Ligue 1 side have been heavily linked with a move for the 19-year-old, but Leipzig's sporting director Marcel Schafer has total clarity on the situation.

Speaking to Bild, Schafer was unequivocal about the club's stance regarding the Ivorian talent. "Yan Diomande plays for RB Leipzig next year. And we are not budging from that," Schafer stated.

While he acknowledged that the youngster will eventually move on to bigger things, he was clear that the time is not now. "The time will come when we allow Diomande to take the next step. But not this year."

The teenager's stock has risen dramatically since his €20 million move from Spanish second-division side Leganes just a year ago. His performances have been so impressive that Leipzig reportedly turned down a massive €100m offer from Liverpool earlier in the window. According to Schafer, the club do not even have a "financial pain threshold" for the player at this stage.

Rather than looking for an exit route, Leipzig are reportedly working on securing the player's long-term commitment. The German club plan to adjust Diomande’s current contract, which runs until 2030, to offer him significantly improved terms. This move is designed to reflect his status as one of Europe's most coveted young prospects and to ward off further interest from abroad.

The firm stance from Leipzig comes amid claims from Footmercato that Diomande has already reached a personal agreement with PSG. Discussions have allegedly taken place between the French champions and the German side, but RB Leipzig's hierarchy remains unmoved by the pressure. Supervisory board chairman Oliver Mintzlaff had already voiced his relaxed attitude toward the situation in April.

At the time, Mintzlaff said: "If I were the sporting director, I would not sell this young player, who has not even been with us for a full season, no matter what price is called." However, a transfer is not entirely impossible if a creative solution is found. One rumoured model involves PSG purchasing Diomande this summer but loaning him back to Leipzig for a year – a strategy Leipzig previously used when they sold Naby Keita to Liverpool in 2017.

After arriving as a relatively unknown talent from Leganes, he quickly established himself as a certified Bundesliga star. His rapid adaptation sparked constant rumours that he could leave after just one season.

His Bundesliga statistics tell the story of a player who has adapted to professional football with remarkable ease. With more goals (12) and assists (eight) combined than any other Leipzig player except Christoph Baumgartner, Diomande has become the heartbeat of his team's attack. His ability to win 55 percent of his duels further demonstrates that he possesses the physical attributes to match his technical flair.

Asked a month ago if he will still be at Leipzig next season, the 19-year-old told Kicker: "Yes," adding: "I'm not thinking about that at the moment. I'm under contract in Leipzig and I enjoy playing here. But nobody knows what will happen after that. Everyone has ambitions, including me. My dream is to play at the highest level possible."