Diomande Data Shows Why he was the clear target for Liverpool
Fernandez Pardo, Minteh and El Mala all bring quality, but Diomande’s 99th percentile creation made him the clear standout.
Every transfer window throws up alternatives.
Some are sensible. Some are good value. Some offer enough quality that you could convince yourself they would succeed with the right coaching. But every so often, you come across a player whose underlying profile simply sits on another level.
That is where I am with Yan Diomande, and why Liverpool made him their primary target, even if it now appears he has chosen PSG instead.
I’ve spent plenty of time looking through the numbers, watching the footage, and comparing him with the alternatives Liverpool has reportedly considered. Fernandez Pardo, Yankuba Minteh and Said El Mala are all talented young forwards. They all have strengths. They all offer qualities that could improve Liverpool’s squad.
For me, though, Diomande sits comfortably ahead of every one of them.
When I compare the data across every phase of attacking play, finishing, creativity, ball progression, passing and even defensive contribution, there is a sizeable gap between Diomande and the rest.
That is why reports that Diomande has chosen PSG over Liverpool feel like such a significant setback. After looking through his profile in detail, I completely understand why Liverpool were prepared to make him one of their priority targets.
Elite Attacking Profile Across Every Metric
One of the biggest mistakes people make when analysing young attackers is focusing solely on one or two standout statistics. For instance, a player may exhibit exceptional shooting skills, while another may excel in dribbling, and yet another might create chances at an elite level. However, the critical question is whether they can effectively combine all those skills. That is precisely where Diomande distinguishes himself from the rest. As this Scout Lab player card shows, the combination of his attacking metrics puts him substantially above the norm for attacking VAEP.
His overall final product sits in the 97th percentile. Every major attacking metric in that profile sits above the 95th percentile, except for shot volume, which remains his one obvious area for improvement. His overall shooting profile ranks in the 88th percentile, while his chance creation reaches the remarkable 99th percentile.
