£90m star could be tempted to join Liverpool

Liverpool are looking to add a new star forward to their squad after Mohamed Salah confirmed that he will be leaving the club on a free transfer in the summer.

The Egypt international’s departure will leave a big hole to fill at the top end of the pitch and the Reds are reportedly keen on RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande to fill it.

It was recently reported that the Premier League side have made the best contract offer to the Ivorian, who is also wanted by Champions League champions Paris Saint-Germain.

However, RB Leipzig do not want to cash in on the teenage forward and want a fee of £100m from any of the teams interested in signing him, and it remains to be seen whether or not Liverpool are prepared to pay that much for him.

Diomande racked up 12 goals and eight assists in 33 appearances in the Bundesliga in the 2025/26 campaign, showing his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Premier League star could be tempted by move to Liverpool

The Reds have already seen with Florian Wirtz, though, that the transition from starring in the Bundesliga to starring in the Premier League is not always a smooth one, so there is no guarantee that he would produce similar numbers at Anfield.

That is why the club should also be looking at proven Premier League talents to come in and hit the ground running, with one star already being lined up.

Former Manchester United scout Mick Brown has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur central defender Micky van de Ven could be “tempted” by the prospect of a move to Liverpool.

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown said: “Everybody knows what he brings to the team, he’s got blistering pace which means he can recover and make these last-ditch challenges, and that can be so important.

“That’s why there’s a lot of interest in him, there’s been talk about Liverpool and others, so he could be tempted to move on.”

The report from Football Insider adds that Liverpool are interested in signing the Netherlands international as a long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk, whilst he could also replace Ibrahima Konate in the short-term.

Why Micky van de Ven would be a better Liverpool signing than Yan Diomande

Whilst Liverpool may still take a risk on a big-money move for Diomande to replace Salah this summer, signing van de Ven from Spurs would be a much better piece of business.

The Dutch star, who is reportedly valued at £90m, is a proven Premier League talent who could walk straight into Andoni Iraola’s starting XI to hit the ground running next season.

Diomande, like Wirtz this season, may not be able to hit the ground running as he has no experience in England or the Premier League, and there is no guarantee that he ever adapts to the division.

The Tottenham star’s performances in the Premier League, despite his side almost being relegated to the Championship, show that he can be a very effective defender in the top-flight.

Van de Ven, who was described as a “monster” by reporter Elliott Jackson, ranked in the top 6% of defenders in the division for ball recoveries, which speaks to his mobility and defensive awareness.

The £90m-rated star, who used his speed to score an incredible goal in the Champions League in December, can consistently sweep up balls in behind, allowing his team to press high up the pitch.

Iraola wants a high pressing team that chases after the opposition, as he had at Bournemouth, and van de Ven would be the perfect signing to facilitate that, as his pace would be a get-out-of-jail free card for the defence when they push high and teams try to hit them on the counter.

Van de Ven, therefore, would be the perfect signing to replace Konate, moving van Dijk into the right-sided centre-back role, as a proven Premier League star who suits the new manager’s system to a tee.

Whereas, there are still so many unknown elements with Diomande and it would be a risky signing to complete for more than £100m, which is why van de Ven for £90m would be an even better piece of business by the Reds.