Jose Mourinho faces £120m Yan Diomande dilemma at Real Madrid

Yan Diomande's preferred presumption is occupied by Vinicius Junior and his alternate way into Real Madrid's XI is already crowded, but Herve Renard believes patience is required with Jose Mourinho's £120m summertime signing - whose Leipzig numbers whitethorn besides constituent towards a solution.

Diomande's archetypal months astatine the Bernabeu person illustrated the trouble of breaking into arguably the astir competitory attacking portion successful European football.

Real Madrid committed €125m (£108m) positive a imaginable €15m (£13m) successful add-ons to motion the 19-year-old from RB Leipzig, tying him down until 2033.

However, starts person remained hard to get nether Mourinho. Sports Mole had already examined his constricted relation aft helium accumulated conscionable 83 minutes without a commencement during the opening weeks of the season.

Ivory Coast brag Renard, who has worked with Diomande during the caller planetary break, believes the occupation begins with wherever the winger is people astir comfortable.

"It's nary concealed that his preferred presumption is connected the near wing," Renard told gallic writer Alexandre Ruiz.

"At Real Madrid, connected the near determination is Vinicius; connected the right, Guler and Diaz; and up front, Kylian Mbappe and Bellingham somewhat behind. That sums up the situation."

The equation is awkward: Diomande's favoured portion belongs to Vinicius, portion moving crossed the transportation simply places him into different enactment battle.

Vinicius blocks Diomande's earthy way into Real Madrid XI

Mourinho has already attempted to lick that occupation by utilizing the Ivorian predominantly from the right.

Diomande's archetypal Real Madrid commencement came successful that presumption against Rayo Vallecano successful September, though his comparatively quiescent show was followed by a much influential publication from Arda Guler disconnected the bench.

The teen subsequently responded with his archetypal Madrid assistance connected his 2nd La Liga commencement against Elche and besides made an encouraging substitute quality against Atletico Madrid earlier the planetary break.

That show against Elche represented his astir convincing publication successful a Real Madrid garment to that point, providing tangible grounds that his adaptation was opening to progress.

Renard nevertheless believes expectations request to beryllium placed successful context.

Diomande joined Madrid aft representing Ivory Coast astatine the World Cup and has entered an attacking hierarchy containing established stars alternatively than arriving with an automatic starting position.

"He needs to beryllium fixed a small time," Renard added. "The endowment is there."

The contented for Mourinho is not uncovering grounds of that endowment but uncovering capable minutes to make it.

Vinicius remains the evident left-wing option, portion Guler and Brahim Diaz some connection established alternatives from the other flank.

That would look to permission Diomande without an evident way into Madrid's strongest XI.

His performances earlier arriving successful Spain, however, suggest that the reply whitethorn not needfully impact displacing Vinicius.

Do Diomande's Leipzig numbers constituent Mourinho towards the right?

Although Renard identifies the near arsenic Diomande's earthy position, the winger was substantially much productive erstwhile operating from the other broadside during his breakthrough run astatine Leipzig.

Diomande produced 12 goals and six assists successful 22 appearances from the right, compared with 3 assists successful 10 matches erstwhile deployed connected the left.

His wide Bundesliga instrumentality was 12 goals and 8 assists successful 33 appearances, signifier which yet persuaded Madrid to marque him their grounds signing.

Those numbers complicate the positional debate.

Diomande whitethorn consciousness astir earthy receiving the shot from the left, wherever helium tin isolate defenders and onslaught space, but his Leipzig output suggests that Mourinho does not needfully request to determination Vinicius to unlock his costly caller arrival.

There has besides been caller grounds astatine planetary level.

Renard shifted Diomande to the close precocious successful Ivory Coast's triumph implicit Somalia, and the winger instantly became progressive successful 2 decisive attacks - supplying the transverse which led to 1 extremity earlier striking the station successful the determination which produced another.

Five of Diomande's 7 league appearances for Madrid person present besides travel from the right. The trouble is that solving 1 positional blockage creates another.

Guler offers Mourinho creativity and operation play from that flank, portion Brahim provides different technically accomplished option. Diomande alternatively gives Madrid much nonstop running, one-on-one menace and genuine width.

That makes the determination little astir identifying the teenager's "correct" presumption and much astir determining which qualities Mourinho needs successful a peculiar game.

Renard is encouraged by however Diomande is handling that uncertainty. Diomande himself precocious acknowledged his constricted minutes portion insisting that helium continues to bid hard and support the aforesaid approach.

"I deliberation helium is approaching the concern successful the close way," the Ivory Coast manager said. "I spot him being positive. With that mindset, you tin spell precise far."

For a £120m investment, patience volition inevitably beryllium hard to support indefinitely.

But Madrid's dilemma whitethorn besides incorporate its ain solution: Diomande's favourite presumption is blocked, yet the numbers which earned him his determination to the Bernabeu suggest helium whitethorn not request it to succeed.