CORNERFLICK
Yan Diomande says his move to Real Madrid has turned a long-held dream into reality, and has already set his sights on scoring at the Bernabéu.
Dream move to Madrid
In his first interview after joining the club, Diomande told SportyTV: “This is my new home. I waited a long time for this moment. It was my dream and now it has become reality.”
The young Ivory Coast winger said he is eager to get off the mark in front of the home crowd. “I can’t wait to score my first goal at the Bernabéu,” he said.
Diomande also said he wants to become one of the best players in the world. He described that as a long-term target that has not changed, adding that he works hard every day and has plenty of confidence.
Mourinho’s call
Diomande said he first spoke to Juni Calafat before Mourinho phoned him, apparently at around 5am in Portugal. He said the message from Mourinho made a difference, and added that when Real Madrid call, it is hard to say no.
He also believes Mourinho’s strong personality can help him develop further as a young player. Diomande said Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré were his childhood idols, and revealed that he recently spoke to Drogba, who told him Mourinho would be “like a father” to him and urged him to keep working hard.