Mundo Deportivo: Diomande Has Played Only 94 Minutes in Five Matches and Is Yet to Start

According to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid's €140 million new signing Diomande has yet to start a match and has played only 94 minutes across five appearances.

Diomande has not yet found his rhythm. The start for the second-most expensive signing in Real Madrid's history has been much quieter than expected. The club made a major investment in the Ivorian youngster, paying €125 million in fixed transfer fees plus €15 million in add-ons, bringing the total deal value to €140 million. For a player only 19 years old, this was a remarkable investment, and Real Madrid originally expected him to become one of the key figures in Mourinho's new plan.

However, after the opening rounds of the league season, reality has been completely different. Diomande has still not started and has played only 83 minutes in the first four La Liga rounds. He played 26 minutes against Espanyol, only 6 minutes against Real Sociedad, 25 minutes against Malaga, and another 26 minutes against Real Betis. Diomande has no goals or assists. His situation in the Champions League has also not changed, as he played only 11 minutes against Inter Milan.

These numbers carry more weight when considering who has taken his place. Mourinho has shown more trust in Guler or Brahim to operate on the right wing. Guler started three of the first four matches and has already become one of the most talked-about highlights of the early season. In the match against Betis, Guler was one of Real Madrid's best performers at the time, before Mourinho replaced him with Diomande.

This is not only about performance. Mourinho himself is also asking for patience with this major signing. The Portuguese coach believes Diomande needs to gradually adapt, learn the team's tactical system, and slowly build confidence.

The problem is that €140 million is not a figure that allows people to wait slowly. Real Madrid did not spend this amount of money so that Diomande would only come on in the final 20 minutes of matches, nor did it do so to have Guler or even Brahim ahead of him among the right-side options. Given the background of the transfer, expectations were for a player capable of competing for a starting place from day one.

The biggest issue with Diomande's high transfer fee is not the player himself. Real Madrid did need a midfielder at the time, and after Rodri chose to sign with Barcelona, Madrid did not pursue other options such as Enzo Fernandez. Enzo moved from London to Manchester for a similar price. Real Madrid ultimately spent this money on another forward.

Diomande needs to quickly prove the value of this investment. Protecting a young talent is one thing, but after paying €140 million, Mourinho still being unable to find enough reason to establish him as a regular starter is another matter.

It cannot be said that this signing has already failed in September, but a striking question has already emerged: was it really necessary to spend so much on a player who currently appears not stable enough and not ready to become an undisputed starter?