Luis Enrique may well be the only coach capable of unlocking the Portuguese player’s real potential.

The wide-forward shuffle has begun. If all the pieces fall into place, it could lead to sensational and, in some ways, surprising transfer moves. Real Madrid’s sudden push for Yan Diomandé, taking him away from Paris Saint-Germain, could set off a chain reaction that, over the next few weeks, may open up scenarios directly and potentially linked to the situations of several Serie A clubs too.

Diomandé-Real Madrid, €120 million deal

Diomande for Vinicius

According to detailed reporting from The Athletic, Real Madrid manager José Mourinho’s move for Diomandé comes from the Spanish club’s growing fear that Vinicius Junior may not agree to a renewal on a contract that runs until June 2027 and could therefore leave at the end of the season on a free transfer. For a president like Florentino Perez, that would be an unbearable blow, and on top of the damage he would also have to swallow the insult of paying the final year of the winger’s huge salary (€25 million gross) plus the loyalty bonus paid at the start of every season. It is also an economic issue that can only be avoided through an early sale. To whom? Arsenal, who would be ready to offer a deal worth around €20 million net and who, after the arrival of Tzolis from Club Brugge, are looking for a marquee signing in this transfer window.

Big news: Arsenal make first contact for Vinicius

Barcola case

After Madrid and London, the main stages of the Vinicius story, we return to Paris where, alongside the decision to pull out of the race for Diomandé on principle — which was absolutely not a factor when the €222 million release clause for Neymar was paid, or when Mbappé arrived in the same summer on loan with an obligation to buy for €150 million from Monaco — the Barcola situation has now opened up. The winger for the reigning European champions has formally decided not to extend his contract, which expires in 2028, and that has opened the door for interested clubs. According to information coming from England, Liverpool are in pole position for what could be Momo Salah’s successor.

PSG cash in

PSG have been hit twice and could now also lose young Senegalese forward Mbaye, with his agent-parents pushing him to ask for more money and greater attention from Luis Enrique so he does not have to think about changing clubs. The Paris side have so far focused on sales in the transfer market, moving on players who were not part of the project and raising funds to meet the demands of the Spanish coach. They are also still waiting for Kolo Muani’s future to be settled, with the player promised to Juventus. The departure that has created the biggest buzz is Gonçalo Ramos’s, the back-up striker behind Dembélé, who has joined AC Milan for €75 million plus bonuses.

PSG, Mbaye could bring in another €50 million

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What if...

That is a massive outlay for a club that in recent years has followed the exact opposite policy, preferring to spread its budget across several players rather than put almost all its money on one footballer. That has sparked debate and opened the door to all kinds of speculation about why AC Milan owner Gerry Cardinale has gone this far for the Portugal international. Now we move into the territory of suggestions and, why not, provocations. What if Rafa Leao also entered the wide-forward carousel?

Let’s forget Mendes

It is important not to get carried away by the easy link to Jorge Mendes, the hugely powerful agent who represents, among others, Goncalo Ramos and remains a major name whenever Portuguese footballers are involved. His relationship with Leao has, in fact, been described as non-existent for years, ever since the AC Milan player’s father decided to have his son advised by a lawyer from the same country. So let’s not follow, even for a moment, the rumours suggesting Mendes is working on behalf of the Rossoneri to find Leao a new home, as he has repeatedly hinted that he considers his time in Italy over and is ready for a new challenge. And let’s forget, for a moment, about Saudi Arabia or Turkey, the destinations seen as most likely for a player who does not appear to have much backing in the Premier League, where he would like to move.

For Leao, it is an Istanbul derby

This is how Ramos explains it

Here is the provocation: what if Paris Saint-Germain ended up returning the Gonçalo Ramos “favour” to Milan, solving a problem that is affecting their plans as they try to complete their next signings after the early-July splurges — the signing of the Portuguese striker and that of Mario Gila for a combined total of around €100 million? In Paris, Leao would reunite with a sporting director he is very close to, Luis Campos, the man who took him to France at a very young age, to Lille, after the traumatic split from Sporting Lisbon. At PSG, he would arrive without the burden of being an automatic starter or one of the leading figures among the many players who are not stars, by Luis Enrique’s choice, but who have established themselves precisely through values such as humility, team spirit and a willingness to serve others. In short, the Asturian coach could be the last hope of bringing out in Leao the potential that is still unfulfilled and that at AC Milan has only been seen in flashes.

Kvara’s deputy

Compared with someone like Barcola, who at Paris and with the France national team seems to suffer a little from the eternal duel with Desiré Doué, Leao would return to Ligue 1 and join the strongest team in the world in a very different situation. He could begin as an alternative to Kvaraskhelia on the left before trying to carve out his own place in an inevitable rotation, one designed to keep everyone involved and make sure they reach the decisive stage of the Champions League with the usual firepower to scare every rival and attempt the impossible. Win the cup for a third straight season. With an extra Leao in the machine, and with Milan, for their part, managing to get rid of a “problem” while bringing in a sizeable fee to keep spending in the transfer market. It is only a provocation, but who knows...