It took just ten top-flight appearances to convince RB Leipzig that Yan Diomande was worth a high-stakes gamble. A €25 million switch carried him to Germany, where he rapidly refined his craft before sealing a dream transfer to Real Madrid.

Diomande had already offered sparkling glimpses of that elite pedigree in the Bundesliga, swiftly establishing himself as a player worth upwards of €100 million. At just 19 years of age, he posted an impressive haul of 13 goals and 9 assists across 36 matches for the German side.

During pre-season, Demichelis was forced to manage an exit that had been simmering for weeks. Ultimately, the saga provided the ideal launchpad for the forward and proved a masterstroke in business for the Germans: turning a €25m outlay in the summer of 2025 into a staggering profit exceeding €100m just 12 months down the line.

Diomande even eclipsed Josko Gvardiol (€90m) to set a new benchmark as RB Leipzig's record sale, and the German outfit are now primed to cross paths with Real Madrid once again in the Champions League.