Liverpool Eyes Christian Pulisic as Diomande Pursuit Fades
Liverpool’s pursuit of Yan Diomande is slipping away, and one of the club’s greatest goalscorers has already put a different name on the table.
Not Minteh. Not Summerville. Christian Pulisic.
Diomande drifts towards Paris
Liverpool went hard for Diomande. An offer worth $113.9 million in total — $91.1m up front with $22.8m in add-ons — underlined just how highly the club rated the 19-year-old RB Leipzig winger. He was the priority for the summer, the next big wide forward to drop into that right-hand channel and terrify full-backs.
But the tug of Paris is proving stronger.
While Diomande represents Ivory Coast at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reports on Sunday revealed his preferred destination: Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning European champions. The player is said to have agreed a five-year deal in principle to move to the French capital.
Now it’s a negotiation between clubs. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has already opened direct talks with Leipzig and is understood to be confident of getting the deal over the line. Liverpool, who saw their opening bid knocked back, look increasingly like bystanders in a race they once led.
Liverpool’s Plan B – and Fowler’s curveball
Liverpool have not been caught cold. Contingency names are already in circulation.
- Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh
- Cologne’s Said El Mala
- Lille’s Matias Fernandez-Pardo
- West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville
have all been flagged as potential alternatives, according to previous reporting from The Athletic. It’s a list that reflects the club’s usual recruitment profile: young, explosive, resale value baked in.
Robbie Fowler is thinking slightly differently.
“Plenty of rumours about as to who's going to @LFC. One name I've not seen mentioned is Pulisic,” he wrote on X. “Good age, played in the Prem, exciting player, I'd take him, potentially a Salah type of pathway, thoughts?”
It’s a pointed suggestion. Fowler isn’t just name-dropping a star; he’s hinting at a template Liverpool know well — a wide forward who has already sampled the Premier League, gone abroad, and could return at his peak.
Pulisic’s case: proven, if not perfect
Pulisic is in the shop window in the best possible way: a World Cup on home soil. The 27-year-old is currently leading the United States at this summer’s tournament, featuring in two of three group games as Mauricio Pochettino’s side topped Group D and marched into the knockouts.
At club level, he has rebuilt his reputation at AC Milan. After four uneven years at Chelsea — 98 Premier League appearances, 20 goals, flashes of brilliance interrupted by injuries and inconsistency — Serie A has given him rhythm and responsibility.
His 2025/26 numbers are solid rather than spectacular: 10 goals and 4 assists. Diomande’s 13 goals and 10 assists paint a more explosive statistical picture, especially for a teenager. But raw output doesn’t tell the full story. Pulisic’s game is mature, direct, and battle-tested in two of Europe’s toughest leagues. He knows the demands of English football and the glare of a big-club spotlight.
And Liverpool’s interest is not new. As recently as February, reports suggested the club was among several Premier League sides to make contact with Pulisic’s entourage about a potential return to England. The timing now feels sharper.
Milan tension and a window of opportunity
Behind the scenes at Milan, there is tension. According to TEAMtalk, Pulisic is disappointed not to have been approached about a new contract that reflects his status as one of Serie A’s standout attackers. The lack of movement from the San Siro hierarchy has prompted his camp to test the water back in the Premier League.
Milan hold an option to extend his deal by 12 months beyond its current expiry in 2025, which gives them leverage. But it also creates a decision point. Cash in now, with a World Cup showcasing his talent and Premier League clubs circling, or risk losing control of the situation later.
For Liverpool, that crossroads is intriguing. Diomande fits the long-term, high-upside model. Pulisic offers something different: experience, immediate impact, and the profile of a player who could step straight into a high-pressure dressing room and contribute.
As PSG move closer to stealing away the teenager from Leipzig, the question for Liverpool is no longer just who they miss out on — it’s whether a proven, restless Pulisic becomes the opportunity they can’t afford to ignore.
