The German club Leipzig has begun moving in anticipation of the departure of its Ivorian winger Yan Diomande, who has become close to transferring to Spanish Real Madrid, according to media reports.
According to a report published by the French website "Foot Mercato", Leipzig has placed Moroccan Shams al-Din Talabi, Sunderland's English player, on its list of targets to compensate for Diomande's potential departure.
The report confirmed that there have been no official contacts yet between the two clubs regarding the possibility of signing Diomande.
Leipzig officials believe that Talabi possesses a set of qualities that make him suitable for the project, most notably his speed and ability to play in multiple attacking positions, in addition to his individual skills and his ability to create danger.
Diomande (19 years old) had an exceptional season with Leipzig, scoring 13 goals and providing 10 assists during 36 matches in all competitions in the 2025-2026 season.
As for Talabi, who is 21 years old, he played his first season in the English Premier League with Sunderland after joining from Belgian Club Brugge in the summer of 2026, and participated in 28 matches during the 2025-2026 season, during which he scored 4 goals and provided one assist.