Yan Diomande has enjoyed some rise. When the 19-year-old made his professional debut off the bench for Leganés against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu in March 2025, few would’ve predicted that in little over a year’s time he could be back as a signing worth well over $100 million.
Soccer moves fast and a breakout season in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig rocketed the young Ivorian winger to his status as one of the most coveted talents going.
When Florentino Pérez was re-elected as Real Madrid president he promised to continue his tradition of “signings that generate excitement.” Though Diomande may not yet be a bonafide superstar, he is clearly an exciting transfer with all the raw ingredients to develop fast at the place where he made his professional debut.
As the headline arrival of the summer, Diomande is expected to become a much-requested name on the back of jerseys in the club shops across Spain and far beyond—even DJ Khaled is already a fan.
The question is: which number will Real Madrid’s new recruit wear?
Yan Diomande’s Potential Shirt Numbers at Real Madrid
Diomande is young and fresh enough not to be associated with any number in particular yet.
In his one season at RB Leipzig he wore the No. 49, while he has mostly sported 11 for Côte d’Ivoire—as he did at the 2026 World Cup—though he has also worn 26 and 9 for his country.
At Leganés, his first professional club, he was the No. 30.
Unhelpfully for deducing his next digits, none of those numbers are available for selection at Real Madrid.
Rodrygo is the current No. 11, while Endrick has taken 9 from Mbappé after the Frenchman switched to 10. In La Liga, first-team players must wear between 1–25, making it impossible for Diomande to opt for 49, or even 30, for sentimental reasons.
As it stands, he will likely choose between: 19, 20 and 25. In theory, Diomande could sport 2 or 4 which are also currently unclaimed, but these would be incredibly unorthodox (borderline sociopathic) choices for a non-defender.
Available Jersey Numbers at Real Madrid
| Number | Last Worn By |
|---|---|
| 2 | Dani Carvajal |
| 4 | David Alaba |
| 19 | Dani Ceballos |
| 20 | Fran García |
| 25 | Kepa Arrizabalaga |
Jerseys That Could Become Available
Real Madrid’s summer plans could yet free up more options for Diomande to choose from.
Aurelién Tchouaméni has been linked with a big-money move to Manchester United in recent weeks. Were a deal to go through, it would put the No. 14 jersey in play. More likely to become available soon is Gonzalo García’s 16 shirt, with the young forward tipped to move to Fulham.
Raúl Asencio and Brahim Díaz are two more whose futures remain the source of some speculation, potentially opening up the numbers 17 and 21.
