Liverpool are now set to make a ‘big proposal’ to sign RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, with Fabrizio Romano issuing a new update on the transfer saga.

Liverpool wrapped up a deal to sign Osasuna winger Victor Munoz out of nowhere last week, but club chiefs aren’t finished there when it comes to strengthening their attack.

They want to give new manager Andoni Iraola the best squad possible as he looks to get his team performing strongly in both the Premier League and the Champions League next season.

Change was clearly needed after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign that saw them end the season 25 points adrift of champions Arsenal, just 12 months after winning the title in Arne Slot’s first campaign in charge.

Andy Roberson, Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah have joined Slot in leaving Anfield this summer, and Liverpool have made finding a replacement for the latter one of their biggest priorities.

While Munoz will slot in on the left, the Reds need to find a right-sided player too and they have identified Diomande as their number one target.

Liverpool have made progress on the player side of negotiations, but Leipzig’s asking price continues to be a big hurdle to getting a deal over the line.

Romano: Liverpool ‘Very Aggressive’ in Diomande Pursuit

REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

Liverpool have already seen a bid worth a total of €100m rejected by the Bundesliga outfit, with GIVEMESPORT sources revealing that the offer was worth €80m plus €20m in add-ons.

It was rejected by Leipzig, who are holding out for more than £100m for a player who has exploded onto the global stage at the World Cup with the Ivory Coast following a stunning breakthrough campaign in Germany.

Diomande has already been described as a ‘superstar’, and Liverpool are ready to return with a ‘big proposal’ to get a deal done for a player also attracting interest from Paris Saint-Germain.

Issuing the latest update on Liverpool’s pursuit via his YouTube channel, Romano said:

“There are several clubs interested, Paris Saint-Germain, and now Liverpool are very aggressive, and also because Liverpool will bid more than €100m.

“It’s going to be a big proposal coming from Liverpool in order to try to change the situation. So Liverpool are working on the player side in terms of contract proposal, salary, and project, and on the club side working hard to get this deal done for Yan Diomande.

“So that’s going to be a big story to follow, because Liverpool are absolutely there.”

Liverpool Targeting Two More World Cup Stars

via Reuters

It isn’t just Diomande catching Liverpool’s eye at the 2026 World Cup.

Romano confirmed earlier this month that the Reds have already had transfer meetings over a potential move for another teenage sensation shining in North America.

The Merseysiders are keen on Lille and Morocco 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, who is also attracting interest from other top clubs in Europe having made almost 100 senior appearances for Lille and dominating the Brazilian midfield in his nation’s opening World Cup fixture.

Liverpool are also said to have entered the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha, who has been one of Germany’s standout players at the tournament.

Domestically, GMS sources also have interest in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.

While he put himself front and centre during the buildup to the 2026 World Cup, Donald Trump hasn’t been seen at a match yet since the showpiece tournament began on June 11 – and now there is a new reason for him to avoid fixtures involving four English-speaking teams for the remainder of the competition.

The US president was on course to be one of the most talked-about figures across the USA, Canada and Mexico for quite some time, given the context of entry issues, political tensions with Iran, and his push to advance some of his more controversial policies through the vehicle of sport.

However, Trump has gone somewhat AWOL in recent days. Many football fans and neutrals alike would argue that’s a good thing, and now one explanation for his sudden disappearance has been put forward.

Why Donald Trump Might Avoid Matches Involving English-Speaking Teams

Bonnie Cash / SIPA USA via Reuters Connect

According to the Mirror, the 80-year-old ‘may not attend’ a World Cup match involving an English-speaking team, after brutal fan chants linking the president to his old friend Jeffrey Epstein went viral. Concern is understood to be so high that questions are being asked about whether the US leader will present the trophy at the July 19 final, amid fears over what supporters could sing should he appear.

What’s more, White House officials are claimed to be attempting to shield Trump from the hostility on the terraces, particularly from fans of Scotland, England, Australia, and New Zealand. A source said:

The source concluded: “His staff are in crisis mode trying to prevent the President from being exposed to the chants in person, and that includes avoiding matches involving English-speaking teams.”

Broadcasters Have Been Made Aware – But Chants Stopping Unlikely

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Lead broadcasters have already been made aware of the chants being heard at matches, perhaps to ensure they are ready to muffle them like they do anti-Keir Starmer songs at the Darts and in the Premier League.

But they are unlikely to stop fully, with supporters drawing attention to Trump’s long-documented friendship with Epstein, the pedophile who died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

The pair moved into the same social circles throughout the 1980s and 1990s and were photographed together on numerous occasions. In a 2002 interview with New York magazine, Trump described Epstein as a “terrific guy” and said he was “a lot of fun to be with”. The president has since sought to distance himself from his former friend, saying the pair fell out years before Epstein’s criminal convictions and insisting he barred him from Mar-a-Lago.

The issue has returned to the political spotlight because of continuing controversy surrounding the release of Epstein-related court documents and investigative files. Trump’s name, along with those of numerous public figures, has appeared in released records.

A World Cup match is at ‘severe risk’ of a temporary suspension on Monday evening, with a little-known US rule coming into focus ahead of a crucial group-stage fixture.

Disruptions have regularly threatened to overshadow this summer’s tournament, though none have significantly affected proceedings so far. Entry issues, visa complications, and geopolitical tensions have all created uncertainty across the USA, Canada and Mexico, but FIFA have largely managed to navigate those challenges up to this point.

However, a relatively unknown protocol – one that was used during the Club World Cup won by Chelsea in the United States last summer – could come into effect again. If triggered, it could lead to significant delays during one of Monday’s most eye-catching matchups.

World Cup Match at ‘Severe Risk’ of Temporary Suspension

According to RMC Sport, via Tribuna, the second-round group stage match between France and Iraq, scheduled to take place at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, could be temporarily suspended due to adverse weather conditions.

Thunderstorms are forecast during the game. The tournament enforces a specific safety protocol that requires a mandatory pause in the event of a lightning strike near the stadium. If lightning is recorded within a radius of approximately 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the venue, the match will be stopped for a minimum of 30 minutes. In the case of a repeated strike, the countdown will reset.

Rules for suspending matches due to weather conditions are based on current regulations applied during sporting events in the United States, as reported by The Guardian.

Chelsea’s Round of 16 tie against Benfica in last year’s Club World Cup was suspended in the 86th minute when lightning was detected in the area, and the match didn’t continue until four hours and 38 minutes after it had begun.

France Expected To Score For Fun – But Lasting Fatigue Could be Issue

Credit: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

An attacking trio of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise – all of whom are in the running for the Ballon d’Or – is expected to feast on the Iraq defence on Monday night, and any issues surrounding the match are unlikely to stem from the action on the pitch.

As one of the tournament favourites, Les Bleus may not get an easier fixture. However, the performances of Cape Verde, Curacao and other smaller nations at this World Cup have shown that nothing can be taken for granted, despite their convincing 3-1 opening win vs Senegal last week.

Indeed, the biggest concern may be the possibility of the match lasting longer than one that goes to extra time and penalties due to a pending thunderstorm. Such a delay could have an impact in the latter stages of the tournament, although Didier Deschamps may be in a position to rest some of his key players by halftime, depending on the scoreline.