Barcelona rejected chance to sign Real Madrid’s €100 million-rated attacking target this summer

Barcelona rejected chance to sign Real Madrid’s €100 million-rated attacking target this summer Yan Diomande has become one of the biggest names of the summer transfer window after reports emerged that Real Madrid saw a €90 million bid, plus a further €10 million in add-ons, rejected for the highly-rated RB Leipzig forward .  However, the Spanish giants were not the first club to seriously consider the 19-year-old. According to SPORT , Barcelona had the opportunity to pursue Diomande earlier this year but ultimately chose to move in a different direction.  After weighing up the financial and sporting implications, Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco prioritised the signing of Anthony Gordon instead, a decision that has now left Real Madrid with a clear path to chase one of Europe’s brightest young attackers. Barcelona decided against Diomande despite Deco’s admiration The report states that Deco met Diomande’s representatives in early May, when the player’s name was seriously discussed as a potential reinforcement for Barcelona’s attack. Barcelona were in talks to sign Yan Diomande. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) The sporting director is understood to have been a strong admirer of the youngster’s qualities, but several factors prevented negotiations from progressing.  In fact, Diomande was particularly attracted by the possibility of joining Barcelona because he believed the club’s attacking style would provide the ideal environment for his development. At the time, however, Barcelona were still assessing Marcus Rashford’s situation, while the overall financial package required to complete a deal for Diomande was viewed as too expensive. As such, the total operation was expected to approach €100 million, in addition to a significant salary package for the player.  Faced with those figures, Barcelona decided not to pursue the deal any further. The Catalan club preferred Anthony Gordon over the Bundesliga forward. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) Instead, the club invested in Anthony Gordon, completing the winger’s arrival from Newcastle United in a transfer worth €80 million and from that point onwards, there was no further contact with Diomande’s camp. Real Madrid take advantage after PSG deal collapsed While Barcelona stepped away, Diomande continued attracting interest from several of Europe’s biggest clubs. Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain both entered the race during June, with the French champions even reaching a verbal agreement with the player over a five-year contract.  However, PSG were unable to finalise a deal with RB Leipzig, leaving the door open once again. That situation has allowed Real Madrid to emerge as the strongest contender for a player who once preferred a move to Spotify Camp Nou.