Real Madrid Sign Him for €140 Million! Mourinho Gives Record Signing Few Chances: Five Games as a Substitute, Only 94 Minutes with 0 Goals and 0 Assists

On September 9, in Matchday 1 of the Champions League league phase, Real Madrid defeated Inter Milan 2-1 at home. In this match, Real Madrid new signing Diomande came on as a substitute again and failed to make any notable impact. In the first five matches of the season, Diomande has been a substitute in every game.

In this match, Diomande once again failed to make the starting lineup. Mourinho explained this before the game: “I chose Diaz. As for Diomande, I planned to bring him on in the second half. He and Diaz are different types of players. In addition, he joined the team at the last moment, so he still needs time to integrate.”

Diomande did not come on until the 79th minute. After entering the game, he was eager to prove himself and often tried to break through individually after receiving the ball. Statistics showed that Diomande played 11 minutes, recorded one shot, six touches, lost possession three times, completed two passes, and failed in one ground duel, receiving an overall rating of 6.5.

When leaving after the match, Diomande appeared to be in low spirits. This summer, the 19-year-old was signed by Real Madrid on a seven-year contract. His transfer fee was €125 million in fixed payments plus €15 million in bonuses, reaching a maximum of €140 million, making him the most expensive signing in La Liga. However, Mourinho does not currently plan to rely heavily on him.

Real Madrid have already played five matches in the new season, and Diomande has appeared in all five, but only as a substitute, playing a total of 94 minutes. In less than 20 minutes per game on average, he has recorded only one shot, one shot on target, and four successful dribbles. Last season, he was the leading dribbler in the Bundesliga.

Opinions are divided over Mourinho's use of Diomande. Some believe Mourinho has traditionally not been good at developing attacking young players, while others believe this approach is meant to protect the not-yet-20-year-old Diomande and prevent him from collapsing under heavy pressure.