Blockbuster update: United ready to close January deal for 19yo speedster, €60m would get the job done – Sky

Manchester United looked creatively bankrupt as they stumbled to a 1-1 draw against the Premier League’s bottom side, Wolverhampton Wanderers, at Old Trafford on Tuesday. The Red Devils were without many of their big-hitters like Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, Amad, and Bryan Mbeumo, yet fans would have expected from the likes of Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. Ruben Amorim’s risk-averse strategy and puzzling tactical calls did not help, and it is clear that INEOS need to step in before the season gets derailed. The co-owners had tried to go after Antoine Semenyo to address the glaring lack of creativity, but it seems Manchester City have won the race. Yan Diomande seen as the perfect Semenyo alternative The 20-time English league champions have not given up yet, but Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig has been identified as a backup option should the Ghanaian move to the Etihad. The 19-year-old’s explosive pace and dribbling ability have caught the eye, with the Ivorian capable of playing on either wing. This is his first season in the Bundesliga, having arrived from Spanish club CD Leganes for around around €20 million. In 12 starts across all competitions, the Ivory Coast international has seven goals and four assists to his name. And naturally, quite a few teams are looking at him with the intention of a future deal. Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have been named as potential suitors for Yan Diomande, but as per Sky Sports reporter Danyal Khan, both of them could be set for disappointment. While the Old Trafford side were initially plotting a summer 2026 move, should they sense that other teams are progressing in talks, INEOS plan to swoop in and close the deal in January itself. Yan Diomande Stats: 2025/26 CompetitionGamesGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Bundesliga14632–466′ DFB-Pokal211––85′ Total16742–551′ 25/26 season stats via Transfermarkt “Manchester United are one of the clubs monitoring RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande,” the reporter wrote on X (formerly Twitter). United ready to close Yan Diomande deal in January itself “United not guaranteed to pursue another winger after missing out on Antoine Semenyo but may move for Diomande if other clubs start moving for the highly-rated forward in this window.” 🚨 Manchester United are one of the clubs monitoring RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande. United not guaranteed to pursue another winger after missing out on Antoine Semenyo but may move for Diomande if other clubs start moving for the highly-rated forward in this window. #mufc pic.twitter.com/pRjlIMrBAU — Danyal Khan (@DanyalHKhan) December 30, 2025 Interestingly, previous reports had suggested Leipzig value their speedster at €100 million, but that does not seem to be the case. “There have been reports Leipzig value him at £87m (€100m) but understand player’s value understood to be more in the region of £52m-£61m (€60m-€70m).” Such a valuation, even though steep, could be reachable from United’s perspective. Whether INEOS take the plunge in the winter or wait till next summer will be interesting to see. Feature image Stuart Franklin via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25