PSG want revenge for Real Madrid’s Diomande smash-and-grab

Paris Saint-Germain’s president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, has known since last Thursday that any hope of signing Yan Diomande had effectively vanished. Real Madrid stepped in at just the right moment, and a simple phone call followed by a meeting was enough to send the player’s future in a different direction.

PSG pursue Rodri after collapse of Diomande deal

From that moment on, the PSG chief has been determined to strike back, believing he has found the perfect opportunity by pursuing Rodri at all costs, regardless of what the Paris club’s coaching staff, led by Luis Enrique, might think. Reports linking the Spain captain with a desire to join Madrid did not go unnoticed by Al-Khelaifi, who identified the midfielder as the ideal target.

As soon as Diomande learned of Madrid’s interest, PSG was no longer at the forefront of his thinking. Instead, the Ivory Coast international was drawn back to memories of his recent spell in Spain at Leganés, and the prospect of fulfilling a dream: sharing a locker room with Kylian Mbappé and the rest of Madrid’s star-studded squad. It is an ambition he had never hidden during his time in LaLiga with Leganés, a club that now competes in Spain’s second tier.

Al-Khelaifi personally took charge of PSG’s Rodri pursuit, issuing direct instructions to contact the player’s agent in what was viewed as an attempt to respond to Madrid’s move for Diomande. This was not a routine transfer rumor designed to speed up negotiations elsewhere. Rather, it reflected Al-Khelaifi’s genuine determination to avoid being left on the sidelines, having already envisioned Diomande in PSG colors.

Rodri’s preference, though, remains a return to LaLiga ahead of any other transfer. Throughout the process, the World Cup winner has been careful to show respect for Manchester City in his public comments. For now, he continues to enjoy his vacation while awaiting clarity over his future. As things stand, that future remains tied to the final year of his contract with the club now coached by Enzo Maresca, who has made it clear he would welcome Rodri back with open arms.

City has not altered its position. The Premier League club maintains that no formal offer has been received for the midfielder and continues to describe Rodri as a cornerstone of the project that Maresca has already begun to build.

As for Madrid, nothing has changed. The club remains open to strengthening its squad until the transfer window closes. A variety of moves are still possible, and should departures occur in midfield, the Rodri situation could quickly come back into focus. For now, that scenario has yet to materialize. It has not been ruled out, but neither is anyone willing to guarantee that it will happen.

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