Yan Diomande Unfazed by €100 Million Transfer Speculation

Ivory Coast’s Yan Diomande is focused on winning the Africa Cup of Nations despite speculation linking him to a €100 million transfer to major European clubs.

Sports

-Sathish Raman

Ivory
Coast’s
Yan
Diomande,
a
19-year-old
footballer,
remains
calm
despite
speculation
about
a
potential
€100
million
transfer
to
a
top
European
club.
Diomande
has
impressed
at
the
Africa
Cup
of
Nations
and
is
focused
on
helping
his
team
defend
their
title.
“I
want
to
win
this
competition,
this
is
my
biggest
dream,” he
told
The
Associated
Press
in
Marrakech.

Diomande
joined
German
club
Leipzig
last
summer
and
has
been
linked
with
Bayern
Munich,
Arsenal,
Manchester
United,
and
Paris
Saint-Germain.
However,
Leipzig
may
resist
selling
him
due
to
their
financial
stability
and
ambitions
after
missing
European
qualification
last
season.
Diomande
himself
is
content
at
Leipzig
for
now.

Focus
on
Current
Goals

“For
now,
I’m
happy
there,” Diomande
said
about
his
time
at
Leipzig.
“Everyone
likes
me
there
and
I’m
enjoying
it.
I’m
not
looking
at
everything
happening
around
me.
I
am
trying
to
stay
focused
on
my
road.”
His
strong
performances
include
six
goals
and
three
assists
in
14
Bundesliga
matches.

Diomande’s
journey
began
with
Spanish
side
Leganés,
where
he
played
10
La
Liga
games
after
moving
from
AS
Frenzi
in
Florida.
He
debuted
against
Real
Madrid
and
was
later
signed
by
Leipzig,
backed
by
Red
Bull.
Despite
breaking
his
nose
in
November
against
Werder
Bremen,
he
continues
to
play
with
a
protective
mask.

International
Ambitions

In
the
Africa
Cup
of
Nations,
Diomande
scored
in
Ivory
Coast’s
3-0
victory
over
Burkina
Faso
in
the
last
16.
He
has
three
goals
in
eight
appearances
for
his
national
team
and
looks
forward
to
returning
to
the
US
for
the
World
Cup
this
summer.
“I
studied
there,
I
went
to
USA,” he
said
about
his
time
in
America.

Ivory
Coast
faces
Egypt
in
the
quarterfinals
on
Saturday,
with
a
possible
semifinal
against
Senegal
or
Mali.
“It’s
going
to
get
harder
but
we
are
ready
and
we’re
confident,” Diomande
stated.
“We’re
going
to
go
there
and
try
to
fight,
have
a
good
spirit,
a
good
mentality
and
win.”

Diomande’s
dedication
to
his
current
club
and
national
team
reflects
his
commitment
to
achieving
his
dreams
while
remaining
grounded
amid
transfer
rumours.
His
focus
remains
on
immediate
goals
rather
than
future
possibilities.

With
inputs
from
PTI