INEOS target slapped with new hefty price tag to try and deter suitors – but United want and ‘can afford’ him

RB Leipzig will look to try and price out Yan Diomande’s suitors this summer in hopes of keeping him for longer than a season.The Ivorian starlet is continuing to catch the eyes of a host of clubs across Europe as he lights up the Bundesliga week in and week out in his maiden campaign with Leipzig.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYMUFC set sights on dazzling Diomande(Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)Among the sides sizing up a move for Diomande at the end of the term are three of the Premier League’s top dogs: Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool.As for the Red Devils, German football expert Christian Falk revealed last week that they definitely want and ‘can afford’ the attacker – despite Leipzig seeking around £80 million to part ways with him prematurely. WOLTEMADE to Bayern? MADRID’S Karl enquiry! Diomande, Kane & more! | Bay… https://t.co/sgd72yZCL2 via @YouTube — Christian Falk (@cfbayern) February 13, 2026In fairness to Leipzig, they have had Diomande in their ranks for only seven months, having signed him in a £17.5m deal from CD Leganes in July 2025 on a four-year contract.He has since taken Germany by storm with his emphatic showings, returning a hugely impressive nine goals and six assists in 24 appearances across all competitions – and at just 19 years old.What’s Leipzig’s stance on Diomande?(Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)When teams first began circling Diomande in January, Leipzig chief Marcel Schafer told Kicker: “It is our aim to keep players with us for longer than just one year, because otherwise you don’t achieve any continuity.”In the meantime, United will be hoping that their ties to Red Bull-owned Die Roten Bullen could give them an advantage if a transfer race does arise for the coveted forward.Not only did they do business with the club as recently as last year when signing Benjamin Sesko in a £73m transfer, but Director of Recruitment Christopher Vivell previously held roles as Technical Director with Leipzig and, prior to that, Head of Scouting with their sister club RB Salzburg.