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The exit of the Egyptian star has left Andoni Iraola with limited options on the wings, highlighting an urgent need for reinforcements.

If you weren’t familiar with Yan Diomande before the World Cup kicked off, you certainly are now.

The 19-year-old RB Leipzig winger enjoyed an outstanding campaign last season, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists in the Bundesliga. He has continued his impressive form on the international stage with Ivory Coast, delivering standout performances against Ecuador and Germany.

Liverpool have been tracking Diomande as a possible replacement for Mohamed Salah, with reports indicating that their €100 million (£86.7 million) offer has been turned down amid growing interest from Paris Saint-Germain.

Former England striker Alan Shearer has urged Iraola to secure a player of Diomande’s calibre, telling Betfair: “Liverpool need several options in attack because, with Salah gone, you are left wondering… who have they got?”

He added, “They have Isak, they have [Florian] Wirtz, they have Ekitike—but he’s sidelined due to injury. Then there’s [Cody] Gakpo and [Ryan] Ngumoha.”

Shearer continued, “There’s no doubt they need another striker—someone ready to hit the ground running and capable of scoring around 15 goals a season. They’ve been linked with Yan Diomande, and he’s a really talented player.”

“He would bring a lot to Liverpool, though I’m unsure what the final fee might be. It would clearly be a substantial amount, and I’d imagine that if they do go ahead with the signing, they have already scouted him extensively.”

“In my view, he’d be a very good addition to the squad.”

As noted by FourFourTwo, the key question for Liverpool is how much value they place on investing again in their forward line, which already saw heavy spending last summer.

Shearer’s observation about the lack of depth on the wings is accurate, even if Ngumoha takes on a more prominent role this season. While Gakpo and Federico Chiesa are useful options, they are not the type of wide players around whom you would ideally build a title-contending side.

A young attacker like Diomande—already proven in one of Europe’s major leagues and still improving—would represent a strong long-term investment.

Shearer’s point about the need for another centre-forward also holds weight, as Ekitike is expected to miss the first half of the season. A 15-goal striker, rather than a 30-goal one, would be a realistic and necessary addition considering the Frenchman’s importance last year and the fact that his absence will not be permanent.

However, it’s also evident that Liverpool’s defensive unit requires strengthening. Therefore, how aggressively they pursue Diomande could depend on their budget allocation and the funds they manage to generate through player sales during the transfer window.