Liverpool suffer biggest blow as top target to replace Salah rejects them for PSG

Liverpool have been dealt a major setback in their search for a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, with RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande reportedly choosing Paris Saint-Germain as his preferred next destination.

According to The Athletic, the 19-year-old has decided that PSG would be his first choice if he leaves Leipzig this summer.

That is a painful twist for Liverpool because Diomande had been described as the Reds’ No.1 attacking target after Salah’s departure.

Liverpool had already shown how serious they were by submitting a package worth around €100m, roughly £87m, which Leipzig rejected.

There has been no confirmed agreement with PSG, but the player’s preference has clearly changed the mood around the race.

Diomande chooses PSG over the Liverpool project

For Liverpool, this is not just another missed target.

Diomande was seen as the kind of explosive wide forward who could help reshape the right side of the attack after Salah.

He has pace, directness, one-v-one quality and the confidence to carry a major attacking role despite still being a teenager.

This Is Anfield previously reported that Liverpool were expected to return with another offer after Leipzig rejected their opening bid.

That showed the club were willing to spend big, but PSG’s pull now looks difficult to ignore.

The French champions can offer Diomande regular chances to win trophies, work under Luis Enrique and be part of a project led by Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Luis Campos.

Reports also suggest the player believes PSG can help him compete for individual honours, including the Ballon d’Or.

A massive setback for the Premier League side

This is a serious blow for Liverpool. If Diomande really was their top target to replace Salah, losing him to PSG would force the club to rethink a major part of their summer plan.

The Reds cannot afford to waste too much time chasing a player whose mind is already leaning elsewhere.

They should test Leipzig and the player’s camp one more time, but if the answer remains the same, Liverpool must move quickly.

Replacing Salah was never going to be easy. Missing out on a player with Diomande’s ceiling makes that job even harder.