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Real Madrid News Real Madrid record signing labelled once in a generation star: ‘One in every ten years’ Real Madrid had an exceptional summer transfer window, with the club bringing in as many as seven players for Jose Mourinho. No signing was bigger than Yan Diomande, though, with the Ivorian becoming Los Blancos’ most expensive acquisition of all time. The 19-year-old arrives at Madrid carrying enormous expectations, and the people who have worked closely with the young winger believe he can live up to them. As quoted by MARCA, Thiago Freitas, operations director at Roc Nation, used an extraordinary comparison when discussing Diomande. Diomande compared to Halley’s Comet Roc Nation identified Diomande while he was still at Leipzig, and Freitas explained just how quickly the agency became convinced by his potential. “We are always looking at the stars, but while looking at the stars, sometimes a comet appears,” Freitas said. “I can say that Yan, among the stars, is like a comet, a Halley that you find every eight or ten years. And when the possibility of working with him came to us, we did not think twice.” The agency subsequently built a personalised structure around Diomande to help his development, although convincing Leipzig to part with such a valuable young player was never expected to be straightforward. “A player of this level, every club wants to keep. We knew it would be a great challenge, a difficult task to make this transfer happen,” he explained. Real Madrid changed the transfer race Freitas also revealed that several major clubs wanted Diomande before Madrid eventually secured his signature. “Many of the most important, richest and most qualified clubs in the world showed interest in Yan,” he said. However, once Madrid entered the race, Roc Nation felt the dynamic changed completely. “But I always say that for players, Real Madrid is the Pele of clubs,” Freitas explained. “When Real Madrid’s interest appears, there is nothing more the other clubs can do.” Freitas believes Diomande’s unpredictability makes him particularly suited to Madrid, where opponents regularly defend with the primary objective of containing their attacking talent. “Yan is a player who can bring a lot of surprise to Madrid,” he said, highlighting his ability to break tactical structures and create unexpected situations. Diomande is still a young player who needs time under Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese tactician is easing him into action. The teenager may not be starting for Madrid yet, but it will not be long before he gets the nod. Jose is said to be keen to avoid another Mastantuono situation with him. One thing is clear, though: everyone who has worked with Madrid in some capacity thinks the sky is the limit for him, and it remains to be seen whether he hits those heights at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid News Real Madrid superstar’s summer contract renewal saga compared to a romantic movie: ‘We know how the movie will end’ Vinicius Junior’s contract renewal with Real Madrid was one of the club’s biggest stories of the summer. Months of uncertainty eventually ended in a long-term agreement that keeps the Brazilian at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2032. At one point, it looked like the prospect of the Brazilian leaving the Santiago Bernabeu this summer was a realistic possibility. However, as quoted by MARCA, Thiago Freitas, operations director at Roc Nation, has compared the entire saga to a romantic film with a happy ending. Vinicius renewal was far from straightforward Freitas explained that the negotiations were handled by Roc Nation executive Federico Pena and admitted that reaching the final agreement required patience from everyone involved. “This operation between Vini and Real Madrid was like a trilogy of romance movies,” Freitas said. “Throughout the movies there are conflicts, there are issues, there are some obstacles. But we all know how the movie will end: with a big kiss and everyone happy,” he added. There was plenty of speculation around Vinicius while negotiations continued, particularly as the process stretched across the summer. However, Freitas made it clear that the Brazilian’s preference was always to continue at Real Madrid rather than look for an exit. “You only have to remember the history of all the players who have passed through Madrid in the last 20 or 30 years. None of them wanted to leave,” he said. That is an important point for Madrid supporters. The difficulty appears to have been reaching an agreement that satisfied both sides, rather than convincing Vinicius that his future belonged at the club. Jose Mourinho now has certainty For Jose Mourinho, the first few weeks were spent in uncertainty over whether Vinicius would be part of his project at the club. The Portuguese tactician has always been a vocal advocate of keeping the Brazilian and was said to have been a driving factor in the contract negotiations. Ultimately, as Freitas put it, everything ended in a big hug and a kiss between Vinicius and Real Madrid. It meant that everyone, except Arsenal were happy. It remains to be seen whether the 26-year-old can now repay the club and Mourinho’s faith in him, and return to his best level this season and beyond.