RB Leipzig agree to sell Yan Diomande to Real Madrid
RB Leipzig have agreed to sell Yan Diomande to Real Madrid following the Ivorian's breakthrough 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign.
Signed from Spanish outfit Leganés in the summer of 2025, Diomande enjoyed a sensational debut campaign in Germany, registering 13 goals and 10 assists across 36 appearances in all competitions.
The Ivorian forward's performances earned him the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award and attracted interest from several of Europe's top clubs, with Madrid now securing the 19-year-old's signature on a contract until 2033.
"Saying goodbye isn't easy for me," Diomande said in a video posted to Leipzig's X account. "When I came to Leipzig a year ago, many of you didn't know who I was, but the club trusted me from day one and gave me a chance to prove myself at this level.
"I will never forget my first goal in a Leipzig jersey, nor that unforgettable evening when I scored three goals against Eintracht Frankfurt. I will carry those moments in my heart forever."
Watch: Yan Diomande - entertainer extraordinaire
While Leipzig lose a player with considerable potential, Diomande's departure is a testament to the progress he made during his time at the Red Bull Arena.
Just over a year after arriving in Germany, the teenager now takes the next step in his career, leaving Leipzig as one of the Bundesliga's most exciting young talents and fresh from some eye-catching displays for Côte d'Ivoire at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
"From day one, Yan impressed us with his fearless approach, his willingness to learn and the courage he showed on the pitch," said Leipzig's managing director for sport, Marcel Schäfer. "In next to no time, his pace, dribbling ability and eye for goal saw him establish himself at the highest level."
The Saxony club underwent a major rebuild last year following the exits of key players Loïs Openda, Benjamin Šeško and Xavi Simons, but enjoyed a highly successful campaign under Ole Werner, finishing third in the Bundesliga and securing a return to the UEFA Champions League.
Despite that achievement, Werner was dismissed in June after just one season in charge, with former Bayern Munich defender and Martín Demichelis - a title-winning coach in his native Argentina with River Plate - appointed as his successor.
Leipzig begin the 2026/27 season away to fourth-tier Eintracht Trier in the DFB Cup first round on 22 August, before kicking off their Bundesliga campaign against Borussia Mönchengladbach a week later. The Champions League league phase gets under way in September.
