Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomandé will have to wait for his Real Madrid debut after being left out of José Mourinho’s squad for Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Ferencváros.
The 19-year-old only completed his move from RB Leipzig on Thursday and was not included among the 23 players selected for the match in Budapest.
Real Madrid will face Hungarian side Ferencváros at the Ferencváros Stadion at 17:00 GMT on Saturday, 8 August, as Mourinho continues preparations for the new season.
Diomandé’s omission is not considered surprising given the timing of his arrival. The Ivorian has only just joined the Spanish giants and is yet to complete a full period of training with his new team-mates.
The winger signed a contract with Real Madrid running until 2033 after the club reached an agreement with RB Leipzig for his transfer. The deal is reported to include a fixed fee of €115m, with a further €25m potentially payable in bonuses.
His arrival represents another major step in the rapid rise of one of Africa’s most promising young players.
Diomandé became a highly sought-after player after an impressive campaign with Leipzig and attracted interest from several leading European clubs before eventually choosing Real Madrid.
The teenager’s first opportunity to feature for the Spanish club will therefore come at a later date, with Mourinho expected to gradually integrate him into the squad.
The Portuguese coach was instrumental in identifying Diomandé as a priority target for Real Madrid and is understood to have been impressed by the player’s potential.
The new signing will now focus on settling into life at the Santiago Bernabéu and building an understanding with his new team-mates before making his first appearance.
Mourinho has included several other new arrivals in the squad for the Ferencváros match, with Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva among those selected.
The 23-man squad is made up of goalkeepers Lunin, Sergio Mestre and Javi Navarro; defenders Trent, Álvaro Carreras, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Dumfries, Joan Martínez, Lamini and Mario Rivas.
The midfield options are Camavinga, Valverde, Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva, Cestero, Lacosta and Alexis Ciria, while the attacking players selected are Vinicius Jr, Brahim, Endrick, Carlos Espí and Daniel Yáñez.
For Diomandé, the wait for his first appearance comes as Real Madrid continue to build towards the 2026-27 La Liga campaign.
The new Spanish league season is scheduled to begin on 15 August, giving the Ivorian international limited time to adapt to his new surroundings and convince Mourinho that he is ready to play a role.