Arsenal have been told that Yan Diomande is exceeding expectations at Real Madrid after the teenage forward enjoyed an impressive start to life in Spain following his summer transfer.

According to a report by FootballTransfers on Tuesday, 03 November 2026, the Gunners previously considered signing the Ivory Coast international before he completed a €125million (£104million) move from RB Leipzig to Real Madrid.

The 19-year-old has quickly established himself as an exciting attacking option at the Santiago Bernabeu, recording seven goal contributions in his last eight appearances.

Diomande has particularly impressed during the absence of Vinicius Junior, who has been serving a lengthy domestic suspension.

The teenager has taken advantage of the Brazilian's absence, scoring against Villarreal, Sevilla, RB Leipzig and Racing Santander.

Diario AS journalist Carlos Forjanes believes the young forward is already delivering performances that justify his significant transfer fee.

He wrote: "Since then, he has left his mark on seven goals, either by scoring them himself (four) or by providing the decisive assist (three)."

Forjanes also highlighted Diomande's impressive dribbling statistics, revealing that he has completed 34 successful dribbles compared with Kylian Mbappe's 39, despite the French forward spending 512 more minutes on the pitch.

The journalist added that the Ivorian's performances have surpassed expectations, particularly given the opportunity created by Vinicius' absence.

Arsenal were among several clubs interested in strengthening their attacking options during the summer transfer window.

Mikel Arteta's side explored potential moves for Diomande, while also considering ambitious deals for Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez, Vinicius Junior and Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz.

Although the Gunners missed out on several high-profile attacking targets, they have made an impressive start to the campaign, winning 12 of their 15 matches across all competitions.

Arsenal also strengthened their position with a victory over Liverpool, recording their first win at Anfield since 2012.

Arteta's attention has now turned to Wednesday's Champions League meeting with Slavia Praha, while Diomande will be hoping to continue his excellent form when Real Madrid face AEK Athens.

Diomande's rapid development will serve as a reminder of the attacking talent Arsenal considered signing, with the teenager now making a significant impression at Real Madrid.