The route from the Red Bull empire to Liverpool has been frequently travelled over the past decade.
From Sadio Mane, Naby Keita and Takumi Minamino, right through to Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai, the Reds have relied heavily – and splashed considerable cash – on talents nurtured by the Red Bull network.
The energy drinks giant isn’t especially beloved in German football circles, with traditional supporters believing their clubs – six altogether, spread across Europe, Japan, Brazil and the United States – are devoid of history and soul.
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To numerous onlookers, the Red Bull approach of acquiring clubs for their portfolio of ‘franchises’ contradicts the notion of teams being viewed as extensions of the communities where they were founded.
It’s a legitimate grievance and undoubtedly one that could trigger a worthwhile discussion about ownership in football. From Liverpool’s standpoint, though, Red Bull is emerging as an increasingly vital partner in European football’s arms race.
Yet while their established relationship has certainly helped smooth the path for some of the more substantial deals in recent years, Leipzig remain determined to extract maximum value for their latest emerging talent, Yan Diomande.
Liverpool have made it plain they are prepared to commit to a package worth up to a staggering €100m (£86.6m), yet the Bundesliga outfit are still adamant they won’t sell, reports the Liverpool Echo
That said, it comes as little shock to discover Leipzig might cave if the bid climbs as high as €130m (£112m) and the early sparring echoes the talks with Bayer Leverkusen last summer for Florian Wirtz.
Naturally, back then, Leverkusen eventually capitulated and offloaded their prized asset for £116m following weeks of discussions between Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and his German equivalent, Simon Rolfes.
With a £26m chasm between what Liverpool claim they’re willing to stump up and what Leipzig will entertain, supporters hoping for swift closure on this saga might find themselves disappointed.
Patience will now be essential for fans who have undoubtedly trawled through every highlight reel on YouTube to discover precisely what the electrifying Ivory Coast winger brings to the table.
Liverpool are privately maintaining that alternative options are under consideration should they be compelled to abandon pursuit, but when sums that would render Diomande amongst the costliest acquisitions in history are being discussed, a choice to definitively abandon talks seems like a final option.
Anyone catching the World Cup this past week will have been left with no uncertainty as to why Diomande commands such esteem. A man of the match display saw him repeatedly terrorise the Ecuador backline as Ivory Coast launched their campaign with a 1-0 triumph.
A hat-trick, netted in a 6-0 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt on December 6, made him the youngest player in 60 years of Germany’s premier division to bag three goals in a single match, and his standing has rocketed ever since.
He has emerged as the breakthrough sensation of the Bundesliga this campaign, smoothing Leipzig’s adjustment to a revamped attack following the departures of Benjamin Sesko, Xavi Simons and Luis Openda, who spent last season on loan at Juventus.
Despite the clear opportunity for financial gain, Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff voiced his view earlier this year that Leipzig shouldn’t be considering offloading the winger for any sum this summer.
“If I were managing director of sport, I wouldn’t sell this young player,” Mintzlaff told Sky Sport Germany. “No matter what price is called.
“But we have to have the claim that a player, even if he delivers outstanding performances here, does not leave us after just one year. A few years ago, we were in seventh place in the UEFA five-year ranking. The goal is to get back there.”
Precisely how Jurgen Klopp, Red Bull’s head of global football, fits into this particular scenario remains a fascinating talking point. The Reds icon will be better positioned than anyone to extol the benefits of Anfield stardom, should Diomande seek guidance.
How much the 2019 Champions League-winning manager will be allowed to do that as a senior Red Bull executive, however, remains uncertain, even if Klopp has seldom adhered to any party line he didn’t agree with.
The looming presence of European champions Paris Saint-Germain also adds complexity to the situation. Liverpool, though, would almost certainly not have engaged in such lengthy behind-the-scenes discussions, or revealed their willingness to bid high, without assurances from Diomande and his Roc Nation Sports team that he would at least be open to discussing terms.
The prospect of being ‘Mohamed Salah’s successor’ at Liverpool might also appeal to an ultra-ambitious star of African football. That could yet prove the winning card for Hughes and Andoni Iraola given the fierce competition for places at PSG.
The Champions League holders, despite their wealth, cannot offer the same. The game is on and as Diomande prepares for more World Cup action, against Florian Wirtz’s Germany, on Saturday, the Liverpool target may well be ready to demonstrate exactly why he’s causing such a stir.