Mourinho was the key to Diomande’s signing – report

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MADRID, SPAIN - JULY 28: Coach Jose Mourinho of Real Madrid during the Real Madrid Training Session at Ciudad Real Madrid on July 28, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by LOF/BSR Agency/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Real Madrid have officially announced the signing of Ivory Coast international Yan Diomande in a deal until 2033. Mario Cortegana and Sebastian Stafford-Bloor of The Athletic have revealed that Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho had a huge influence in completing this transfer.

“The final piece was Jose Mourinho,” says Nathan Campbell, Roc Nation’s head of global football recruitment and Diomande’s agent, as reported by The Athletic.

“He spoke to him in fluent French, which was massive for him. We didn’t realise Mourinho spoke fluent French, because he hasn’t been at a French club. But the time of day that he took the call with Yan and the fact that he spoke fluently in French with him — about his ideas, the project, and how he would fit into the team — showed that he valued that conversation. That was a massive point. The key to convincing him.”

Diomande is expected to add pace and verticality in Real Madrid’s attack, typical of Jose Mourinho’s style of football.

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