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RB Leipzig appear to be preparing for life without Yan Diomande, given their reported interested in Zadok Yohanna.Philipp Hinze confirmed Die Roten Bullen are monitoring the 18-year-old right winger alongside Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYIt signals that the Bundesliga outfit is expecting interest in their top winger asset to escalate ahead of the summer transfer window.RB Leipzig planning Yan Diomande replacement?The Sky Sports Germany journalist confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the teenager is one of several profiles on Leipzig’s radar. 🔴 RB Leipzig zeigt Interesse an Zadok Yohanna.
Interesse ua. auch vom BVB & Leverkusen. @Plettigoal @SkySportDE pic.twitter.com/vGYh69wKLH — Philipp Hinze (@philipphinze24) April 21, 2026It comes amid a flurry of reports claiming that Liverpool are prioritising Diomande as their first-choice target to succeed the outgoing Mo Salah this summer.Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustFlorian Plettenberg reaffirmed that RB Leipzig are doing all in their power to tie the 19-year-old down on an improved contract.However, the German outfit accepts that a bid of sizeable proportions (exceeding €100m [£87m]) could be enough to prise the player away from the Bundesliga.It’s worth emphasising that a successor has yet to be nailed down, but it’s most certainly a positive indication that Leipzig don’t believe Yan Diomande to be untouchable.Liverpool can’t afford to wait until 2027 to replace Mo SalahWhile we can accept that Mo Salah’s current form means that it shouldn’t be as hard to secure a quality successor – this is a task Liverpool cannot afford to skimp out on.We’re in desperate need of injecting pace on the wings.
Goals and assists, of course, would be welcome, but we’ve been lacking the same kind of grit and threat on the wings since Luis Diaz left for FC Bayern and Salah’s powers waned in the 2025/26 season.Whoever is sitting in the dugout next term, this has to be a minimum requirement.The good news is that Yan Diomande would firmly tick the pace box, while also bringing with him a considerable threat on either flank. Yan Diomande stats in 2025/26 32 appearances (2,385 minutes) 13 goals 8 assists 113.57 minutes per goal contribution While a rate of one goal or assist per 113.57 minutes doesn’t stack up to Salah’s best seasons at Anfield, you have to give the 19-year-old wiggle room to develop at a club like Liverpool.We appreciate it’s a gargantuan investment in a teenager, but we’re struggling to think of another name (Michael Olise isn’t realistic, is he?) more suited to being at the top of our shortlist.
