Tottenham to rival Manchester United for highly-rated teenager who is currently away at AFCON

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Tottenham are ready to rival Manchester United for the signature of RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande. Spurs are known to be in the market for a new forward this month, amid links to several top name wingers.

Sky Sports has reported that Diomande has been added to the Spurs shortlist, but the club may have to move fast with Manchester United also keen on the player. The 19-year old is highly-rated across Europe after impressive showings for Leipzig.

He’s scored seven goals in all competitions for his club this season. He is currently away at the African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast where he has appeared in all three of their matches, starting twice.

Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are also understood to be keeping tabs on the player’s progress. Spurs have sold Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace and are now looking for more cover in the attacking areas.

Thomas Frank’s side were believed to be on the market for forwards even before Johnson’s sale however, having been linked to Manchester City pair Savinho and Omar Marmoush, as well as Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis and Monaco’s Magnes Akliouche.

Diomande has enjoyed a meteoric rise, having played semi-professional football in America as recently as 2024. The youngster is now one of the most sought-after players in Europe.

He joined Dortmund from La Liga side Leganes just this past summer, signing a five-year deal which ties him to the club until June of 2030. While there has been no concrete interest in the player so far, Diomande has a reported value of £87m.

The player could be available after the AFCON concludes later this month. Leipzig are not currently playing any European football after finishing seventh in the Bundesliga last season.

Diomande could be tempted by Champions League football, though prizing him from Leipzig would take quite some doing. They currently sit fourth in the Bundesliga table as they seek to a return to European football.

Nadji is a football writer with over 10 years of experience covering the Premier League. His work has been featured on Football Fancast, Arsenal-Mania, and Arsenal.com, where he has built a reputation for delivering sharp analysis, engaging storytelling, and in-depth coverage of the game.