Real Madrid officially presented Yan Diomande as a new player on Tuesday, completing the club’s series of presentations following a busy summer transfer window.
The 19-year-old attended a private ceremony at Real Madrid City alongside president Florentino Pérez and honorary president José Martínez Pirri, 19 days after the club initially announced his signing.
As part of the ceremony, Diomande watched a video looking back at his career before receiving gifts from Pérez and signing the contract that
will keep him at Real Madrid for the next seven seasons, through June 2033.
The Ivorian winger also posed with his new Real Madrid shirt and confirmed that he will wear No. 25.
Diomande is the final member of Madrid’s summer arrivals to receive his formal presentation. The club’s series of ceremonies began with the return of José Mourinho and continued with Bernardo Silva, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konaté, Carlos Espí and Marc Cucurella.
Diomande spoke to Real Madrid TV during his presentation and reflected on seeing the club’s collection of trophies up close.
“You see all those titles and it’s different from how you see them on TV, it makes you want to win one… The Champions League… why not start this year?” Diomande said.
The winger also reiterated his admiration for Mourinho, describing the Portuguese manager as “the best coach in the world,” before discussing his first experience training alongside his new teammates.
“Being with these players is incredible,” Diomande said.
The presentation comes after Diomande had already made his first appearances for Mourinho’s team.
He debuted during Madrid’s final preseason game against Schalke 04 before making his first competitive appearance off the bench against Espanyol. Diomande played approximately 30 minutes in Madrid’s 2-1 victory at the RCDE Stadium and completed more successful dribbles than any other Real Madrid player despite entering during the second half.
His arrival represents the latest step in a rapid rise over the past 18 months.
Diomande established himself at Leganés before moving to RB Leipzig, where his performances accelerated his emergence as one of Europe’s most highly regarded young attacking players. During his season in Germany, the winger made 33 appearances, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists.
His performances at international level also raised his profile, as Diomande played a role in Ivory Coast reaching the World Cup finals for the first time during his international career.
Real Madrid subsequently made Diomande the biggest investment of their summer transfer window, adding another explosive attacking option to a squad already featuring Vinícius Junior and Kylian Mbappé.
The 19-year-old’s ability to beat defenders one-on-one gives Mourinho a different profile in the attacking positions, and his early appearances have already provided a glimpse of the qualities Madrid invested in.
Diomande will now have the opportunity to make his first competitive appearance at the Santiago Bernabéu in a Real Madrid shirt when Real Madrid host Real Sociedad on Wednesday night.
After completing his presentation and making his La Liga debut, the next milestones will include his Champions League debut and his first full season competing for trophies with Real Madrid.
As Diomande put it while standing among the club’s European Cups, he sees no reason to wait before targeting the biggest one.
“The Champions League… why not start this year?”
