Recruited this summer by Real Madrid for the astronomical sum of 125 million euros, Yan Diomandé became the most expensive player in the club’s history at just 19 years old. Revealed barely two years ago with the Leganés reserve team, the Ivorian prodigy saw his popularity explode to the highest level. His exceptional potential arouses immense expectations among supporters, who already compare him to the greatest talents of his generation like Lamine Yamal and already see in him the fourth thief capable of sparking in attack with Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham.
This colossal market value can be explained by his dazzling trajectory and a last very high-level exercise with RB Leipzig. In the Bundesliga, Diomandé established himself as a centerpiece by playing 33 of the 34 matches this season, including 28 as a starter. With a remarkable record of 12 goals and 9 assists, the striker proved his ability to be decisive in a major championship before settling down in the Spanish capital. After a half-hearted World Cup with Ivory Coast, the will-o’-the-wisp joined Real Madrid with the ambition of becoming one of the leaders of the Merengues’ crazy attack.
José Mourinho wants to give Yan Diomandé time
Despite these impressive statistics, José Mourinho chose to be cautious by only allowing him 25, 6 and 26 minutes of play in the first three matches of the season. The Portuguese coach refuses to rush his integration under the pretext of the amount of his transfer. As reported A.S. in today’s edition, he favors a gradual increase in power to spare him pressure, avoid the early succession of matches and respect the hierarchy of the locker room against players like Arda Güler or Brahim Díaz, who perform well during preparation. A treatment which will help avoid a runaway at the first slack as was the case last season with Franco Mastantuono.
This measured playing time is fully part of a roadmap established from the start between the coach and his recruit. According to the Spanish media, the relationship of absolute trust between the two men facilitates this management. Although he had been contacted by the technician at dawn to convince him to sign, the Ivorian publicly affirmed that he would give his life for the one he nicknamed “Boss”. Totally aligned with this adaptation plan, the player is calmly patient, aware that this learning phase in training will allow him to establish himself in the long term as an indisputable starter at Real Madrid. A vision also shared by Mourinho, who wants to install his Ivorian crack in the eleven in the long term.
