Chelsea Transfers

[Pizy 19,048]

17 minutes ago, DDA said:

It’s not happening mate. 

Don’t think so either but now even Ornstein is reporting it. Surely someone has to go for this to make even a little sense. And there’s no way Garnacho, Neto, or Estevão go of course. 

Is it even remotely plausible that they’ve given up on Gittens after only a few months? I would’ve thought no chance…

[mkh 653]

😆💪Still supremely funny that with all these top teams chasing Antoine Semenyo, his first priority was to tell Spurs they had no chance.

[Vesper 30,622]

55 minutes ago, Pizy said:

I don’t think we’ll be buying another expensive winger for a long, long time. The people above Maresca aren’t going to give up on Gittens after spending so much on him. Especially after the Mudryk thing blew up in their faces already.

Garnacho has at least shown something and with Quenda coming in next summer we’ll be set in the wide positions numbers wise.

I put out that list more as a pretty extensive (20 of them) guide as to what is out there in terms of quality right footers who are or could be remotely available.

 

 

[Pizy 19,048]

Matt Law has kind of played down this move already. Sounds like yes we checked with Semenyo’s camp but that it’ll be a real long shot if we go all out for him. With the 2 Manchester clubs and Liverpool after him hard I don’t see this happening. They can all blow our wage offer out of the water. 

United especially will be desperate for him and probably offer £250k per week. 

[Vesper 30,622]

Yan Diomande: Red Bull's best prospect since Erling Haaland being developed by Jurgen Klopp ahead of Liverpool & Man City transfer battle

https://www.goal.com/en/lists/yan-diomande-red-bull-best-prospect-since-erling-haaland-developed-jurgen-klopp-liverpool-man-city-transfer-battle/bltec1b02744af0bdd0

With all the data and all the video footage you could ever hope for, there really shouldn't be many secrets left in the world of youth football. Sure, progress isn't linear and some players' attributes translate better to the adult game than others, but for most teams, picking and finding the best young talent still feels like a bit of a lottery, at least from the outside looking in.

There has been plenty of controversy surrounding Red Bull's involvement in football, but you can't knock them for their proven track record of developing teenagers into ready-made stars. Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig are almost guaranteed to be home to tomorrow's generation of household names.

Next up off that conveyor belt is Ivorian winger Yan Diomande, who only joined Leipzig from Spanish side Leganes over the summer and only recently turned 19, yet is already lighting up the Bundesliga and being tipped to leave for mega money.

So, who is Diomande and what exactly makes him so brilliant? GOAL has the lowdown...

Where it all began

Diomande's upbringing was far from conventional. He was born in the Ivorian city of Abidjan on November 14, 2006, but moved to the United States during his adolescence. After playing high-school soccer for Yulee Hornets in Florida, Diomande joined the DME Academy down the road in Daytona Beach when he was 14, quickly becoming a hit as he alternated time between the main side and their affiliate team, AS Frenzi.

After helping DME Academy to an unbeaten season and winning the United Premier Soccer League Premier Division with AS Frenzi for the first time in the programme's history, Diomande was named the 2023 STARI Player of the Year.

"This recognition comes as no surprise to those who have witnessed Diomande's remarkable journey through the beautiful game," DME Academy's statement honouring the winger read. "His performance on the pitch was nothing short of sensational, with crucial goals that propelled his team to victory. It is not just his skills, but his leadership and determination that make him an invaluable asset to any team he represents."

Diomande's exploits in the U.S. caught the attention of Scottish side Rangers, who took him on trial towards the end of 2023 before deciding against a more permanent arrangement. However, one year later, Diomande put pen to paper on a contract running to 2028 with Leganes, who at that point were playing in La Liga and were focused on an international recruitment drive of undervalued talent.

The big break

Following the completion of lengthy administrative processes, Diomande was only cleared to play for Leganes' senior side towards the end of March 2025. However, he was immediately thrown in at the deep end, making his debut off the bench in a 3-2 defeat away at Real Madrid.

From there, Diomande featured in Leganes' nine remaining league games before the end of the season and became the club's youngest scorer in La Liga when he netted in a 3-2 victory over Espanyol. Starting on the left, Diomande skipped past his man infield before slotting under the goalkeeper to create history. After celebrating, Diomande burst into tears, but only recently revealed why that was in an interview with Sport BILD.

"My little sister died shortly before I signed my contract in Spain," Diomande heartbreakingly revealed. "I promised my mother I would dedicate my next goal to her. I don't usually like to show my emotions, but after scoring, it just poured out. My sister is still on my mind. I play for her."

Diomande also grabbed a goal and assist in a final day win versus Real Valladolid, but that was not enough for Leganes to stave off relegation to the Spanish second tier, and the club ultimately decided to cash in on him when Leipzig came forward with a €20 million (£17.6m/$23.4m) offer over the summer, with that sum representing complete profit having not paid a penny to acquire him from DME Academy.

He was courted by Jurgen Klopp, now Red Bull's Head of Global Soccer, but actually missed the first call the former Liverpool boss made to him. "I couldn't believe it at first!" Diomande has admitted. "I've admired Klopp since his time in Liverpool. He's a great person, and suddenly on my first day here, he tried to call me. I hope he wasn't upset that I missed answering at first! But luckily, it worked out after that. He said I was still young and should be patient. My time will come."

How it's going

The rapid rise of Diomande has been incredible. He only ever started six times for Leganes, yet months later he is one of the first names on the teamsheet for RB Leipzig. This is a player who had never played professional football until March 2025, remember.

It took only one game for Diomande to let Germany know who he was as he netted on his Leipzig debut, scoring their first of the evening in a 4-2 win at Sandhausen in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. It was harder to come by a Bundesliga goal at first, going his first seven appearances without a contribution, but since breaking that duck, Diomande has only gone from strength to strength.

One goal and two assists during Leipzig's 6-0 mauling of Augsburg at the end of October opened the floodgates for the teenager. Another goal and assist followed against Stuttgart the following week, making him one of the five youngest players to ever score in successive Bundesliga games. He also found the net against Hoffenheim days after.

The most notable milestone that Diomande has hit so far came when he scored a hat-trick as Leipzig again recorded a 6-0 win, this time against Eintracht Frankfurt, becoming the second-youngest player in Bundesliga history to achieve such a feat, ironically ranking only behind ex-Eintracht star Walter Bechtold all the way back in 1965.

"It's a source of pride. Even though I am right-footed, I scored with my left. That shows that I am progressing and that I must not stop. I must keep working, keep improving, and score even more goals," a humble Diomande told the Bundesliga website of his treble.

Meanwhile, at international level, Diomande has gone from an almost complete unknown in his native Cote d'Ivoire to a national hero in no time, scoring in their final two World Cup qualifiers to punch their ticket to the 2026 finals in North America.

"Hearing it like that is just crazy," he's said of his exploits with the national team. "But on the other hand, it's honestly no coincidence. It's all the result of the team's hard work. I'm extremely happy and very proud. Playing for the national team was my biggest dream. Now I'm one of the players in my country who's made it. Like my role model, Yaya Toure. That feels good."

Biggest strengths

Naturally, Diomande's standing as a winger ought to make him a fine dribbler, but he is already a standout in that regard. He leads the Bundesliga with 42 dribbles completed this season, while only Lamine Yamal (66), Mohammed Kudus (47) and Kylian Mbappe (45) are ahead of him across Europe's top five leagues.

"I played in the streets. I still play when I go home - sometimes with friends. I like to say: I left the streets, but the streets did not leave me. It is still part of me," Diomande has said of his own style.

Such is Diomande's blend of eras, combining an old-school desire to go outside his man and get chalk on his boots with the modern obsession of cutting inside to score goals, he is incredibly adept at playing on either flank, more often than not starting on his natural right side.

Through 16 games for Leipzig, Diomande has chipped in with seven goals and four assists. It's already conceivable that he could complete his first season as a professional footballer with double figures for both. He's not only easy on the eye, but remarkably effective and efficient.

Leipzig head coach Ole Werner has been hugely impressed with his new signing this season, saying of Diomande: "He often gets past his opponents without any tricks, simply because he's so dynamic. But what's even more important to me is that he works for the team and is very good at counter-pressing. It's a matter of attitude, and he demonstrates that."

The small sample size of his 2025 has made Diomande a darling of the stats community, too. Per FBRef, he already ranks in the top 98th percentile among wingers for non-penalty goals (0.5 per 90 minutes played), top 92nd percentile for shot-creating actions (5.21 per 90), top 97th percentile for progressive carries (6.22 per 90), top 99th percentile for successful take-ons (4.08 per 90) and top 94th percentile for touches taken in the opposing penalty area (6.91 per 90).

On top of that, he also ranks in the top 88th percentiles for tackles (1.7 per 90) and blocks (1.26 per 90), as well as top 97th percentile for interceptions (0.94 per 90). In layman's terms, Diomande is statistically exceptional at both ends of the pitch. There are plenty of reasons as to why he's been touted as the best product of the Red Bull system since a certain Erling Haaland.

Room for improvement

Though Diomande's assist numbers are currently healthy, the major criticism of his game at the moment is that his passing isn't penetrative enough and he could be doing more to find team-mates inside the penalty area - this plot of his chances created from Opta Analyst best showcases this lack of verticality - while his crossing could also do with some work given how strong he is on both feet.

Even despite his nose for goals, Diomande has admitted that is still an area of weakness by his standards. "My style is explosive, fast, and physically strong. Quick, agile, and also a finisher. I know I am not yet a perfect finisher, but I am only 19. With time, it will come - and I will become a killer in front of goal," he said lately.

There was also uproar at Leipzig when Diomande was dropped for their crunch match against Borussia Dortmund in October for arriving late to a team meeting at the hotel, and it's an incident which still rankles the youngster to this day. "I'm still annoyed that this happened to me. I immediately apologised to the coach and the team for the mistake. Every player receives a schedule and has to make sure they are on time," he said.

The next... Nico Williams?

Diomande is the latest in a line of wingers who simply want to get on the ball and their first instinct is to beat their man. Comparisons have been made between Diomande and a younger version of Jeremy Doku before his sudden improvement with Manchester City this season, while Rodrygo has similar underlying stats at Real Madrid. But perhaps the most exciting player in Diomande's mould is Nico Williams.

Both wingers are strong on both feet, can go both ways on either flank and can either slow the game down or speed it up depending on how they decide to take their opponent on. They are the protagonists controlling the outcome of attacks when they have possession. Most excitingly, Diomande already appears to be much more of a goal threat than any of these more senior players mentioned. Williams and Doku's highest-scoring league seasons are six, while Rodrygo has only once hit double figures.

Prior to playing for Leipzig, Diomande was put in a similar bracket to another Red Bull prodigy in Karim Adeyemi, who is now a Bundesliga rival at Dortmund, with both exceptionally quick and capable of using that pace to get in behind as direct threats.

What comes next?

A move away from Leipzig is almost inevitable, with the Saxony side reportedly slapping a €100m (£88m/$117m) price tag on the winger. Liverpool, who may be hoping for a helping hand from Klopp, are among the clubs linked with Diomande, as well as Barcelona, Manchester City, Tottenham and Real Madrid.

In the meantime, Diomande has joined up with the Cote d'Ivoire squad in Morocco for their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he will be hoping to complete a remarkable first year in professional football by becoming a champion of his continent. He is, however, continuing to remain grounded despite this ascent to stardom.

"It feels normal to me, because I am surrounded by people who guide me," Diomande has insisted. "This is what we planned for, so I'm not surprised. We knew this would come and we were waiting for it. Thank God things are going well, and we are grateful.

“I don't pay attention to rumours. I focus on my work on the pitch. If you perform, rumours will always appear. I stay concentrated, and I have good support from my father and the club staff. So I focus only on football.

"[Playing for Cote d'Ivoire] is a dream. We grew up watching our national team - they made us cry, they made us dream. Now we are the ones inspiring children, and it's incredible. I'm proud to represent my country. Our ambition is to go as far as possible and defend the [AFCON] title. We want to win again and keep the trophy. 

"We [also] want to go as far as possible [at the World Cup]. Ivory Coast has had difficult World Cups in the past. Now we want to push further and achieve something big."

Diomande is living proof of how football can change quickly, and he has some advice for fellow young players who are looking to make a splash out of nowhere: "Work hard. Never give up. Fight and push yourself, because hard work is what can take you to the stars. You must not give up - fight until the last breath. That is the message."

[Mário César 1,382]

1 hour ago, mkh said:

Al Nassr & Al Hilal want Pedro Neto.

Al Hilal have contacted Neto’s agent — but no yes from the player yet 

Chelsea would entertain a sale & don’t see him as untouchable with Quenda coming in 

Chelsea would demand in excess of €80m.

(FrazFletcher)

80M pounds and not euros, please

[Fernando 6,678]

1 hour ago, mkh said:

Al Nassr & Al Hilal want Pedro Neto.

Al Hilal have contacted Neto’s agent — but no yes from the player yet 

Chelsea would entertain a sale & don’t see him as untouchable with Quenda coming in 

Chelsea would demand in excess of €80m.

(FrazFletcher)

He has been the most consisten player we have. But I noticed a lot of Portuguese players are over there so he might want to go. 

Such a shame but it is what it is. 

I guess that's why we got interested in Semenyo all of a sudden?  

[Vesper 30,622]

ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.........😞

New English midfielder comes up in internal conversations this week

Potential transfer brewing up

https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/sources-new-english-midfielder-comes

You know when you just hear about a story and it just has that feel of becoming an inevitable transfer? This is one of those that is starting to have that feel.

As always, my promise on here is to deliver any inside news I get, whether big or small. And this bit of news, whilst relatively small for now, just has something about it; a sense that it could just be one of those moves that is destined to happen.

I’ve reported this interest before, but it seems like it is coming back up again now.

SPTC Sources understand Chelsea have held fresh internal conversations around interest and a potential move for James McAtee of Nottingham Forest.

Chelsea held previous strong interest in the midfielder when he was at Manchester City right before he made his move to Forest.

McAtee hasn’t been playing as much as he would like to be playing at Forest, and there is a potential opportunity there.

Chelsea have always admired the 23-year-old, which is obviously driven by Joe Shields having previously worked with McAtee.

At this point we don’t know if anything more will come of it, but there is certainly still Chelsea interest in the player and he has been spoken about just this week. January move? Summer move? Any move at all? Who knows. We will deliver more if we get it, of course.

[mkh 653]

22 minutes ago, Fernando said:

He has been the most consisten player we have. But I noticed a lot of Portuguese players are over there so he might want to go. 

Such a shame but it is what it is. 

I guess that's why we got interested in Semenyo all of a sudden?  

Exactly, I think Neto will be gone by summer 2026 at the latest.

Simon Phillips also reported today that we definitely want to sign K. Yildiz if an opportunity arises in January, otherwise in summer 2026.

That's why Chelsea needs space. Mudryk on loan, Neto, George Sterling, and Gittens on loan could all leave!

[mkh 653]

⚪️Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle, Dortmund and Stuttgart are very interested in the Marseille's 18-year-old midfielder Daryl Bakola.

(@sebnonda)

[Special Juan 28,386]

We may have checked but we me made that stupid idiotic decison to buy that mess Gittens..

There is only one club that Semenyo will choose if he has a brain thatsUnited, the rest are stacked with wide players

[Strike 7,631]

33 minutes ago, Fernando said:

He has been the most consisten player we have. But I noticed a lot of Portuguese players are over there so he might want to go. 

Such a shame but it is what it is. 

I guess that's why we got interested in Semenyo all of a sudden?  

Don't think the player would be keen to leave top level football. Rumor is some of the Portuguese who went like Ruben Neves are looking for a way back 

Our interest in Semenyo seems to be evaluating a good market opportunity. Clear that Gittens is too raw and Garnacho has a lot to improve in his game too 

[Fernando 6,678]

8 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

We may have checked but we me made that stupid idiotic decison to buy that mess Gittens..

There is only one club that Semenyo will choose if he has a brain thatsUnited, the rest are stacked with wide players

Gittens is what Semenyo was at his age. 

I'm sure at 21 you wouldn't have care about him. 

Just needs time. Have you not learned that by now? 

[Pizy 19,048]

8 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

We may have checked but we me made that stupid idiotic decison to buy that mess Gittens..

There is only one club that Semenyo will choose if he has a brain thatsUnited, the rest are stacked with wide players

Tbf, nobody with a brain would choose United. But the money they’ll be offering may be impossible to turn down.

Bruno injured, Mbuemo and Amad now at AFCON, their results are sputtering. They’re desperate for an injection of real quality and will pay out their asses if he agrees to go to them.

[Special Juan 28,386]

Just now, Fernando said:

Gittens is what Semenyo was at his age. 

I'm sure at 21 you wouldn't have care about him. 

Just needs time. Have you not learned that by now? 

I don't listen to nothing you say, you follow me around this forum like a bad smell

Send me a DM if you have a problem with me

[Special Juan 28,386]

1 minute ago, Pizy said:

Tbf, nobody with a brain would choose United. But the money they’ll be offering may be impossible to turn down.

Bruno injured, Mbuemo and Amad now at AFCON, their results are sputtering. They’re desperate for an injection of real quality and will pay out their asses if he agrees to go to them.

That's exactly what I am saying, they need quality, Amorim said they are looking for a player, and out of all the teams United need an injection more than most

[DDA 10,063]

2 minutes ago, Fernando said:

Gittens is what Semenyo was at his age. 

I'm sure at 21 you wouldn't have care about him. 

Just needs time. Have you not learned that by now? 

Gittens has looked absolutely dogshit since joining. 

[mkh 653]

✅️🔵Chelsea are working on a number of departures during the January transfer window, with players leaving the club on loan or permanently.

-G. Slonina still has hopes of playing in the World Cup.

-F. Jorgensen is pushing for a transfer, but Chelsea do not want to let him go in January.

-A. Disasi

-Facundo Buonanotte Chelsea wants to loan K. Mainoo with an option to buy or a mandatory return to Brighton for Facundo. (via@SimonPhillips)

-Tyrique George wants to play more and leave the club.

-Mykhaylo Mudryk's suspension will be lifted soon.

-Raheem Sterling Chelsea is eager to get rid of him so they don't have to pay his salary.

-Jimi Tauriainen will leave the club in January; there are many interested parties.

-Deivid Washington

-Sam Rak-Saky's contract is expiring and he has not yet wanted to sign a new contract.

-Kiano Dyer is being recalled; his future is uncertain; he has hardly played for FC Volendam.

-Leo Castledine has many interested parties in the Championship. Chelsea would let him go for a good transfer fee.

(@SkySports)

[Fernando 6,678]

Just now, DDA said:

Gittens has looked absolutely dogshit since joining. 

I think he might need a season or two. 

Cucu was that horrible as well. 

And the difference is that Gittens is 21. He is not ready for us and thus might need a loan. 

I think the problem was the amount of money we paid. Because of the money we paid the expectations was high, and that is the problem of the club. 

But he needs time. The case I'm making is that Semenyo at 21 no one would have considered. It took him a couple of seasons. 

I'm not sure we can have that luxury but he merits some time. I'm not ready to put him as a total waste. With him I will wait for another season or at the most two, probably a loan will be good for him. 

[Special Juan 28,386]

4 minutes ago, mkh said:

✅️🔵Chelsea are working on a number of departures during the January transfer window, with players leaving the club on loan or permanently.

-G. Slonina still has hopes of playing in the World Cup.

-F. Jorgensen is pushing for a transfer, but Chelsea do not want to let him go in January.

-A. Disasi

-Facundo Buonanotte Chelsea wants to loan K. Mainoo with an option to buy or a mandatory return to Brighton for Facundo. (via@SimonPhillips)

-Tyrique George wants to play more and leave the club.

-Mykhaylo Mudryk's suspension will be lifted soon.

-Raheem Sterling Chelsea is eager to get rid of him so they don't have to pay his salary.

-Jimi Tauriainen will leave the club in January; there are many interested parties.

-Deivid Washington

-Sam Rak-Saky's contract is expiring and he has not yet wanted to sign a new contract.

-Kiano Dyer is being recalled; his future is uncertain; he has hardly played for FC Volendam.

-Leo Castledine has many interested parties in the Championship. Chelsea would let him go for a good transfer fee.

(@SkySports)

All just washed up or bog average, get rid and quickly