Carrick's Champions League Windfall: Man Utd Draw Line on Diomande as Liverpool and PSG Circle

Manchester United have pulled the plug on their pursuit of RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, declining to match the German club's €100m (£86m) valuation of the 19-year-old talent.

The decision comes hot on the heels of Michael Carrick's confirmation as permanent manager at Old Trafford. After guiding United to third place and Champions League qualification this season, Carrick has secured a deal running through summer 2028 and, crucially, unlocked a more generous transfer kitty for the summer window ahead.

Diomande has been the subject of considerable attention across Europe's elite this off-season, having clocked up 12 goals and eight assists across 33 Bundesliga appearances. United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain have all circled the Leipzig winger, though the picture is becoming clearer by the day.

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, the Red Devils have made their position plain: they won't be stumping up the asking price. "Man Utd are following the player, but they have already informed people close to the player that they will not pay €100m for Diomande," Romano explained on his YouTube channel.

The race now appears to have crystallised into a straight fight between two continental heavyweights. Liverpool have entered active negotiations with Diomande's representatives at Roc Nation Sport, while PSG are similarly engaged in talks. Tottenham's interest, meanwhile, has already been extinguished—a non-starter both this summer and previously in 2025.

Liverpool, in particular, have manoeuvred themselves into pole position. The Reds are targeting the winger position as a priority, eyeing a couple of additions in that area, and The Athletic's David Ornstein reports they now occupy "a strong position" with the player. Should the economics of a deal stack up, club-to-club negotiations are expected to follow swiftly.

The ball, ultimately, sits in Diomande's court. Romano noted that the 19-year-old now faces a choice between Anfield and the Parc des Princes, with the player effectively holding the power to shape the outcome.

When quizzed on his future earlier this week, Diomande offered little away. "Yes," he replied when asked if he'd be staying at Leipzig, before adding: "I'm not thinking about that right now. I'm at Leipzig and I enjoy playing here. In the end, it's always the statistics that count. It's been a fantastic year for me."

United, meanwhile, remain keen to bolster their attacking options this summer. Alongside a winger, the club has identified at least two midfielders and a left-back as essential acquisitions to strengthen Carrick's squad for the Champions League campaign ahead.