Real Madrid: 'Yan Diomande is even more than ready', Adebayor backs his African successor

Signed by Real Madrid for £120m, Ivorian forward Yan Diomande has become the most expensive African player in history this transfer window. And who better than Emmanuel Adebayor to comment on this historic transfer?

Yan Diomande has changed levels within the space of a few months. He broke through at RB Leipzig, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists in 2025-26, after arriving from Leganes last summer, and the 19-year-old Ivorian winger confirmed his potential with his national team at both the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.

His performances opened the door to Real Madrid, who officially confirmed his arrival in early August. The transfer could reach £120m, including £13m in bonuses, making him the most expensive African player in history.

An express rise that has impressed Emmanuel Adebayor. A former Real Madrid centre-forward, who made 22 appearances and scored eight goals during a loan spell in 2011, and a leading figure in African football, the Togolese striker has given his blessing to the man set to become his successor as an African attacker at the Casa Blanca, viewing him as already sufficiently equipped to take this next step.

'I'm really happy for him, he's a young brother I don't know personally. I saw him at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, then during Ivory Coast's friendlies before the World Cup. He confirmed the talent I had already spotted in him. He's a young Ivorian full of talent with incredible dribbling ability.'

'He has everything needed to establish himself at Real Madrid. He's already experienced the top level in the Bundesliga, the Africa Cup of Nations, the World Cup... and now it will be Real Madrid.'

'He'll be surrounded by great players, Jude [Bellingham], Vini, Mbappe. For me, he's going to thrive! He just needs to stay focused, concentrate on his football. He needs to know that all Africans are behind him, supporting him.'

'I went through Real Madrid, I know that club, if he manages to string together two or even three good performances, he'll have the crowd behind him. It's the White House!' Adebayor insisted to Afrik-Foot.

'This boy plays without pressure, Yan Diomande is even more than ready'

Competition is nonetheless set to be significant at Real Madrid, particularly out wide with Vinicius and Rodrygo, while the attacking department also features Kylian Mbappe and several other options. But Adebayor does not view that environment as an insurmountable obstacle:

'He's even more than ready. This boy plays without pressure. He'll need time to adapt like everyone else, but I trust him. Nowadays, young players have a certain maturity that allows them to quickly establish themselves at big clubs.'

The former Real Madrid man also plays down the weight of the £120m fee and his status as the most expensive player in the history of Real Madrid, LaLiga and African football. For Adebayor, Diomande must not let his price tag affect his performances.

'Does the player himself set his own price? The answer is no. If the club that sold him set that price, and the buying club paid £120m for him, it's because he's worth it.'

'Some people would have found him expensive even if he'd been bought for £10m. Everyone is free to give their opinion on transfer fees, it's up to the player to prove on the pitch that he's worth what was paid to sign him.'

'He shouldn't listen to anyone, he needs to stay focused on his football, once again. He's neither an accountant nor a mathematician, numbers are for them. The only numbers that should interest him are the number of goals and assists at the end of the season.'

Beyond this advice regarding the exceptional price of his transfer, Adebayor also offered Diomande some additional recommendations as a former Real Madrid player:

'I'd tell him to take his career seriously. To stay focused on the game, because when you sign for Real Madrid, it means your personal goals are no longer far away.'

'We're talking about the biggest football club in the world here. Leaving the streets of Abidjan for this legendary club... the dream becomes reality. Now it's up to him to work hard to win individual trophies, like the African Ballon d'Or, and collective ones, like LaLiga and the Champions League.'

'Those goals are no longer far away. They're within reach. Today, he's surrounded by the best players in the world, the best forward in the world, Mbappe, the best midfielder in the world, Bellingham, and the best manager in the world, Jose [Mourinho]. He has everything he needs to progress and become one of the best.'

'Jose Mourinho has always trusted African forwards, he knows our worth'

For Adebayor, the presence of Jose Mourinho, who was also in charge during his own spell in 2011, represents an additional opportunity.

The Portuguese returned to the Real Madrid dugout this summer and quickly made Diomande an offensive priority, with the Ivorian's profile fitting his desire to add pace to his attack.

'Jose has always trusted African forwards. He knows our worth. People talk a lot about Drogba at Chelsea, Eto'o at Inter and Chelsea, me at Real Madrid, but they forget Benni McCarthy, the South African forward at Porto.'

'He was a substitute at Celta Vigo, and Mou turned him into one of the "best forwards in the world". Go check his stats. I lost a Champions League final in 2004 against him (with Monaco).'

'Today, it's Yan Diomande. He trusts us and knows the quality of African forwards, of African players. When everyone doubted Sam Eto'o's qualities at Barcelona, he brought over his big brother and they took over the whole of Europe.'

'Diomande is lucky to be starting his career at Real Madrid with Jose. He's going to develop on every level, not just as a footballer, but as a person too. He's going to become a man with Mou. Drogba, Eto'o, Benni and I will be delighted if he succeeds. We'd love for him to follow in our footsteps.'

Backed by the support of his elder statesmen, Diomande could make his Real Madrid debut on Sunday against Schalke 04 in a friendly, ahead of the LaLiga opener on 22 August against Espanyol.