Yan Diomande knocks on the door of the starting lineup at Real Madrid

Ivory Coast's Yan Diomande continues to establish himself as a strong option for a starting place at Real Madrid, having caught the eye during the international break with the Ivory Coast national team, where he demonstrated his ability to play in multiple attacking positions, according to a report published by Spanish newspaper 'Marca'.

The newspaper reported that Yan Diomande has returned to the Spanish capital after participating in three matches for his national team, starting two of them and coming on as a substitute in the third. He has rejoined training with Real Madrid under the guidance of José Mourinho, aiming for a bigger opportunity after being limited to the bench during the recent Madrid derby.

The player, who is the most expensive signing in Real Madrid's history, has proven that including him in the starting lineup does not require drastic changes to the team's playing style, after showing great flexibility with his national team.

During his international appearances, Diomande played in three different positions; he occupied the right wing in the victory over Ghana by two goals to nil, a position that Mourinho also uses to avoid leaving Vinicius Junior out of the lineup.

In the match against Somalia, Yan Diomande appeared on the left wing and contributed to the 2-0 victory, before participating in the friendly match against Cameroon, which Ivory Coast lost 1-0, where he played in the second half as a second striker.

Yan Diomande has begun to solidify his position within Real Madrid, as his development and quick adaptation to the team have reflected positively on his performance during matches. Despite José Mourinho's decision to keep him on the bench for the derby, his starting appearances against Rayo Vallecano and Elche were among the most notable positive indicators at the start of his experience with the club.

After returning from the international break, Mourinho finds himself facing a dilemma regarding how to grant Diomande a place in the lineup alongside Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Kylian Mbappé, who currently maintain their starting positions in the coach's considerations.

Yan Diomande's rise has not been limited to his on-field performance, as his market value has seen a new increase despite not securing a regular starting position with Real Madrid.

According to the latest updates from Transfermarkt, the market value of the Ivorian player has reached €120 million, nearing the fee paid by Real Madrid for his signing, excluding bonuses.

Yan Diomande's market value was €90 million at the end of May, when he was still a player for RB Leipzig.

A recent poll conducted by Marca before the international break revealed the level of support for the player, with over 50,000 fans participating. 86% of them called for Yan Diomande to be included in Real Madrid's starting lineup.

Most participants believe that the wing position occupied by Vinicius Junior is the most suitable for Yan Diomande. However, the Brazilian star still enjoys the confidence of Real Madrid and Mourinho, despite not performing at the expected level during his three matches with his national team in the current international break.

In numerical terms, neither Vinicius Junior nor Yan Diomande has scored or provided an assist during the three matches, but the Ivorian's impact and presence in his national team's performance have been more evident, which increases the pressure to grant him a larger role in Real Madrid's lineup.