Mbappe sends message to Real Madrid’s €125m star Yan Diomande

Mbappe sends message to Real Madrid’s €125m record signing Diomande Make us your Google favourite Kylian Mbappe has backed Real Madrid ’s record signing Yan Diomande to come good after a slow start at the Bernabeu. Los Blancos won an intense and dramatic race to sign Diomande from RB Leipzig for an initial €125 million this summer, with the fee potentially rising to €140m if certain bonuses are triggered. There has naturally been a clamour to see the Ivory Coast winger hit the ground running, but after seven appearances with his new club, he has yet to score. However, Diomande has only made two starts and contributed his first assist in the 3-2 victory over Elche on Tuesday. Mbappe believes that this is evidence that his 19-year-old colleague is starting to come good and that fans will need to be patient with the player, despite his status as the most expensive Real Madrid signing ever. “He’s taking a step in his journey, building relationships between the players, the team dynamic. Diomande is part of that right now,” Mbappe told AS . “When he arrived at Valdebebas, on his first day, we saw that he has quality. Then, people talk a lot during matches, about the €140m and things like that. “He's young, he's 19, but the quality is there. We see it, and he's already shown what he can do. “We're trying to protect him and all the players in the squad because, ultimately, we're going to need everyone. A season is very long, and if we want to compete for all the titles, we can't compete with only 11 players.” Mourinho delivers Diomande verdict Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has always had a long-term plan in mind for Diomande, with Los Blancos not intending to rush him into action from the outset. And speaking after the midweek match, the Portuguese revealed his satisfaction with the player. “He’s getting better,” Mourinho said. “Physically, you can see he's starting to get more playing time. He has a very good work ethic, he's intelligent, and he played a great game.” Diomande faces extreme competition for game time at Real Madrid. Though capable of playing on either flank, Vinicius Junior is the regular starter on the left, while Mourinho is set to pick between Arda Guler, Brahim Diaz and Diomande on the right during the first half of the season until Rodrygo returns from injury in the winter. Diomande will therefore have to be at his very best to earn regular minutes, with his €125m price tag offering him no immediate guarantee of match time at one of the most demanding clubs in the world. Mbappe’s words will offer the winger reassurance that he is on the right track, and that inside the Real Madrid dressing room he remains regarded as a young star still getting to grips with the demands of life at an elite club.