RB Leipzig managing director Marcel Schäfer has dismissed reports claiming the club has reached an agreement with Real Madrid for the transfer of highly rated winger Yan Diomande.
The Bundesliga club insists negotiations remain ongoing despite widespread speculation that the Ivorian teenager is on the verge of a move to the Spanish giants.
Speaking to the media, Schäfer rejected suggestions that the deal had already been completed, taking aim at reports from prominent transfer journalists.
He stressed that public claims indicating the transfer was finalized did not reflect the current state of discussions between the two clubs.
Recent reports had claimed Real Madrid agreed a deal worth up to €132 million for the 19-year-old, including a fixed fee of €122 million and a further €10 million in performance-related bonuses.
However, Schäfer maintained that Leipzig had not yet approved the transfer, adding that negotiations had not reached the final stage.
Diomande has been at the centre of transfer speculation following an impressive breakthrough campaign in the Bundesliga, where he registered 12 goals and eight assists.
The winger has also been absent from Leipzig’s recent pre-season activities after reporting in sick and missing the club’s training camp in Austria, further fuelling rumours over his future.
Although negotiations between the clubs are continuing, reports suggest Diomande has already reached a verbal agreement on personal terms with Real Madrid.
The transfer, however, is also said to face delays due to an ongoing legal dispute involving the player’s former and current representatives.
Real Madrid remain active in the transfer market as they continue strengthening José Mourinho’s squad ahead of the new season.
The Spanish club has already completed the signings of Bernardo Silva, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konaté, and Marc Cucurella, with Diomande still viewed as a key target despite Leipzig’s insistence that no agreement has yet been reached.
