Diomande shines as Liverpool and PSG circle
Emerse Fae could barely hide the smile. Ivory Coast had just beaten Ecuador, Yan Diomande had run the game from the wing, and the questions were no longer about the result. They were about Liverpool.
The national team coach has found himself at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war he insists is not his to solve. What he does see, close up, is a young forward whose stock is rising by the week.
Diomande shines as giants circle
Diomande has just come off a standout season with RB Leipzig, his form in Germany now spilling onto the international stage. Against Ecuador he was electric, the kind of wide player who forces defenders to turn and chase rather than step and engage.
That form has triggered a swirl of speculation. Fae lifted the lid on how quickly the rumour mill has followed his player around.
“When we were in France, during the preparation, journalists told me he was about to sign with PSG,” he said. “Here, they tell me he's about to sign with Liverpool!”
The coach, though, is determined to pull the focus back to the present.
“I don't know, but for now, he will focus on the World Cup, and then afterwards, he can think about the rest of his career.”
The praise for Diomande came easily. Fae spoke less like a salesman and more like a coach genuinely taken by a player’s attitude.
“Yan – what can I say? I can't put it into words. He's very talented, but beyond the talent, he's very young and he'll improve.
“He's a kid who works hard, has a real team spirit, laughs with everyone, and he listens, listens to the technical staff whenever he's given advice, and tries to do his best, as he's told.”
Liverpool have monitored wide options as they refresh an attack that has already evolved once since the departure of Sadio Mané. Diomande fits the modern profile: high output in a top European league, versatility across the frontline, and room to grow. For now, though, the shop window is the World Cup, and every decisive run only sharpens the interest.
Rashford waits on United call
While Diomande’s future looks like a race between suitors, Marcus Rashford’s next step is clouded by uncertainty.
According to The Athletic, the forward remains “unclear” about where he will play his football next season. His loan spell at Barcelona gave him a fresh stage and a different rhythm, but the Catalan club have decided against turning the deal into a permanent move.
That leaves Rashford back in limbo, technically a Manchester United player but with no guarantees. The report suggests a £40 million release clause sits in his contract, available to every club except Manchester City and Liverpool.
The clause opens the door. Rashford’s preference narrows it again. It is claimed he would rather stay at United than join another English side if no serious offers arrive from the continent.
United, deep into a rebuild and with their forward line under constant review, now have a decision of their own. Keep a homegrown attacker and try to relaunch him, or cash in at a relatively modest price in a market where wide forwards command a premium.
United reshape the middle of the pitch
One area where Manchester United are not hesitating is midfield. The club are set to confirm the signing of Ederson from Atalanta after agreeing a deal with the Serie A side, a move that forms a key part of their summer overhaul in the centre of the pitch.
Ederson brings energy, aggression and range, a profile United have targeted as they try to lower the age of their midfield and add more running power. He is not expected to be the only one.
Elliot Anderson had been on their radar, but United have now stepped away from that pursuit. Instead, attention has turned to opportunities created by relegation and squad pressure elsewhere.
West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes is on the shortlist, with United sensing a chance to strike a smart deal following the Hammers’ drop. The club want value as well as quality, and Fernandes fits the bracket of a player who could grow into a bigger role.
Sandro Tonali also features in their planning. The Italian, technically sharp and tactically disciplined, has been earmarked as another option as United look to rebuild a midfield that has too often looked disjointed and short of control.
Spurs join the Tonali chase
Tonali’s name, though, is not just echoing around Old Trafford. Tottenham have entered the race.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Spurs are pushing to bring the midfielder to north London as part of what has been described as an ambitious new project. The club want to reposition themselves after falling away from the Premier League’s top bracket, and Tonali is seen as a statement of intent.
He is not short of admirers. Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal have all been linked, and Newcastle’s situation has only added intrigue. After missing out on European football last season, Newcastle may be forced into at least one major sale to balance the books.
Tonali is one of the few players in their squad who could command a transformative fee. A price tag close to £100 million has been floated, a figure that underlines both his value and the scale of commitment required from any bidder.
For now, Tonali is away from the glare, using the summer to rest after Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup. The quiet will not last. Once the window starts to move in earnest, the battle for his signature – and the direction of three or four major clubs’ midfields – will come sharply into focus.
