Real Madrid enter Diomande race after Mourinho's green light - €100m bid rejected

Real Madrid have jumped into the chase for RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande, and it turns out José Mourinho himself gave the move the thumbs up. According to transfer insider insider, the Portuguese manager personally approved the proposal to bring the Ivory Coast winger to the Bernabéu. insider sources broke the news on Friday that Real had opened formal talks with Leipzig, and Romano added that Los Blancos tabled a €100 million (£85.4m) offer - only to see it knocked back by the Bundesliga side. Mourinho, who returned for a second spell at Real Madrid in June after replacing Álvaro Arbeloa, is keen to add more pace to his squad ahead of the 2026-27 season. The 63-year-old left Benfica after the Spanish giants triggered a release clause in his contract. So far this summer, Real have brought in Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva, and are also working on a deal for Manchester City and Spain captain Rodri. Diomande is coming off a breakout 2025-26 campaign. The 20-year-old was named the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season after netting 12 goals in 33 league appearances for Leipzig. He also impressed at this summer's World Cup, providing an assist in Ivory Coast's 2-0 group-stage win over Curaçao. The race for his signature is far from one-sided. insider sources reported in June that Liverpool had expressed willingness to pay up to €100m, but Leipzig turned that down too. The German club are holding out for a fee closer to €130m (£111m). Paris Saint-Germain were considered Diomande's preferred destination after the Champions League holders made their interest known, but no agreement has been reached with Leipzig, leaving the door open for Real. Arsenal and Manchester City have also made enquiries, according to Romano.