Liverpool have missed out on the signing of Belgian youngster Ardjouma Junior Diomandé after Nice moved to secure his signature.
That’s according to Foot Mercato, who cover the player’s situation in an exclusive on their website today.
They explain that several clubs around Europe have all been chasing the 17-year-old, who joined Eupen on a free transfer from Genk last summer.
Liverpool, Lyon, and Real Madrid are named among the clubs to have been trying to secure his signature, but it is Nice who have won the race.
Lyon were the first club to be ‘positioned’ for him, and their training director Jean-François Vulliez made a last-minute call to him, promising him the opportunity of training with the senior side to try and tempt him away from Nice.
The player, however, was ‘seduced’ by the project offered by Patrick Vieira’s side and thus turned away from the interest elsewhere, namely in Madrid and Liverpool.
Nice’s intention is to get Diomandé into the first team as quickly as possible, with the move considered a ‘great operation’ for the club.
