Yan Diomande responds to claims Liverpool are his 'dream club' and addresses Bayern Munich transfer talk

Diomande played the full 90 minutes of RB Leipzig's DFB-Pokal loss to Bayern Munich at the weekend but the German side's exit at the hands of the Bundesliga leaders is unlikely to deter potential suitors. The 19-year-old was heavily linked with a blockbuster January transfer after a stunning start to life with RB Leipzig, who in turn were demanding in excess of £100m for the youngster.

One of those teams linked with a move for Diomande is defending Premier League champions Liverpool, who are looking to bring in a new left winger. The Reds sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich last summer and ultimately failed to replace the Colombian, while the Merseyside giants are wary of losing Mohamed Salah in the summer.

Newcastle's Anthony Gordon is another rumoured target for Liverpool, with Arne Slot's side expected to prioritise a winger at the end of the season. Liverpool are reportedly considered to be Diomande's favourite team, but the Ivory Coast star has responded to those claims, insisting that Liverpool are his 'dad's favourite club'. 

Speaking to BILD, Diomande said: "People made it out to be my dream club. But first and foremost, it’s my dad’s favourite club.

"It was always his great wish to see me there someday because he loves the atmosphere at Anfield. He always raved about Steven Gerrard. I was too young to see him play. We didn’t even have a TV at home for a long time. I have a lot of respect for Liverpool, but my dream club right now is Leipzig."

Diomande was also asked about a potential move to Bayern Munich in the future, and while he admitted it was nice to be linked with a team of their stature, the wideman confirmed he has not yet received any offers of a switch to FC Hollywood.

"It’s always nice to hear something like that," the player added. "But I haven’t spoken to anyone from Bayern. It’s not the right time for that. I’m happy here in Leipzig and want to remain fully focused."

Diomande has scored seven goals and provided an additional four assists in the Bundesliga this season, and has completed 68 dribbles, more than any other player in Germany's top tier, and that form attracted interest from Premier League sides Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham last month.

Yet despite being aware of top-tier interest, Diomande has admitted he is not trying to think too far ahead.

"I'm trying to stay concentrated and listen to the coaching staff and to play my own game. People can see everything is going well, so I'm not gonna stop," Diomande told GOAL earlier this year.

"My friends try to send it to me, but I try to stay focused and calm. For me, it was gonna take like, two or three years. I’m working hard as well, and I'm happy, like everything happens so quickly, and I hope to keep going until the season ends."

Liverpool's interest in Diomande shouldn't come as a shock as the Reds look to future-proof their squad. The Reds have already confirmed that Jeremy Jacquet will move to Anfield in the summer as the Merseyside giants look to sign a long-term successor for Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.

Van Dijk, along with Salah, put pen to paper on a new two-year deal last summer but turns 35 in the summer. Combined with speculation surrounding Ibrahima Konate's future, Liverpool have acted quickly to secure a new centre-back.

The Frenchman, who recently suffered a serious shoulder injury for Ligue 1 side Rennes, was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea last month but the Blues missed out on the chance to sign the 20-year-old.