RB Leipzig hits back at 'so-called experts' in Yan Diomande-Real Madrid saga

RB Leipzig has pushed back at insider over Yan Diomande's proposed move to Real Madrid, with sporting director Marcel Schafer insisting that reports of a completed transfer are wide of the mark. Schafer aimed a thinly veiled dig at those he called "so-called transfer experts" and made clear the Bundesliga club's position has not changed. Diomande has been at the center of one of the most curious transfer stories of the summer. The 19-year-old Ivorian appeared to be heading to PSG after rejecting Liverpool, only for the Ligue 1 club to walk away because they would not meet the financial demands of Leipzig and the player. Real Madrid then moved in and agreed personal terms with Diomande, but more than a week later there is still no agreement between the clubs. There is also a legal subplot that has been running for months. Diomande's former agency, Maxidel Management, is reportedly entitled to a percentage of any transfer fee following his switch to Roc Nation. Some reports claim Real Madrid were unaware of that dispute and that it is now holding up the move. Romano announced on 26 July that the deal was done, a statement that led to a public clash with Florian Plettenberg, whose information was corroborated by insider. Plettenberg has maintained that no agreement exists between the clubs, while Romano has blamed the delay on Leipzig needing to find a replacement. Yet Leipzig is already close to signing Hoffenheim forward Fisnik Asllani, who is available for a release clause. Schafer, meanwhile, is not concerned about the agency dispute. "It's clear that some so-called transfer experts reported a few days ago that the deal was done or gave it the 'here we go.' That's simply not the case. We're not at that stage yet," he said. "From my perspective, it's a clear no. I'm not aware of that. There has been a change of agents. Our point of contact is now Roc Nation - that's something Yan made very clear to us. I don't think a transfer would fall through because of that, if it even comes to a transfer in the first place." Leipzig continues to want Diomande for another season and is demanding a fee in the region of €130 million. The player, however, is believed to have decided that his future lies elsewhere.