Mourinho refuses to give guarantees
Yan Diomande keeps dazzling with the ball at his feet. He is now the second most successful dribbler in La Liga this season, ahead of every Real Madrid player and bettered only by Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.
Spanish newspaper "AS" wrote: "A player is placed in Diomande's path and he gets past him with ease, time after time, whether through the middle or down the flanks, changing the direction of the ball and setting off at speed."
The paper noted that Diomande rules the one-on-ones, outstripping every Real Madrid player this season. With 43 dribbles, he trails only Lamine Yamal's 57. Yet the Real Madrid man boasts the better rate, completing a dribble every 20 minutes to the Barcelona star's every 23, which has lit the fuse on a battle for the title of La Liga's finest dribbler.
For Jose Mourinho, landing Diomande is like scooping the jackpot. At the Mestalla, the winger proved he has become one of the squad's most valuable assets.
His six dribbles that night rank as the Ivorian's third best tally of the campaign. They also stand as his finest figures on the road in La Liga, away from the Santiago Bernabeu.
Mourinho spoke shortly after Diomande arrived: "It is not easy to find a winger who has the speed, the drive and the ability to play on both sides. It is extremely difficult."
Wearing the number 25 shirt at Real Madrid, the youngster has turned into a nightmare for defenders who simply cannot keep him in front of them.
Diomande now tops Real Madrid's charts for successful one-on-one dribbles. Factor in the Champions League and only Kylian Mbappe sits above him, and barely so, the Frenchman having completed 53 to the Ivorian's 52.
That gap means far more than it looks. Mbappe reached his figure after 541 more minutes on the pitch, and Diomande keeps producing despite the brutal treatment opponents dish out.
Several recent matches have laid that bare. There was the stamp from Joao Cancelo during the Clasico, the heavy blow from Mantilla at El Sardinero that had Real Madrid screaming for a penalty, and the violent challenge from Guido Rodriguez in Valencia last Saturday.
Speed, skill and the stomach for a physical scrap. Those are the qualities that have won over the Real Madrid dressing room.
His finishing has turned heads too, none more so than Jude Bellingham's. The England man hailed Diomande after his superb goal in Santander: "I did not know he struck the ball like that. He is an exceptional player." Bellingham is far from alone in his admiration, and the chemistry between Diomande and Mbappe looks obvious.
Vinicius in a difficult position
The goals keep coming, the standout displays keep touching the exceptional, and the praise keeps flowing from inside and outside the club. All of it lands as Vinicius Junior's form dips, widening the gap between the two trajectories.
It might look symbolic, but it carries real weight. The Ivorian has already edged Vinicius on minutes this season, 892 to the Brazilian's 882.
Diomande has split his time evenly, eight matches on the right wing and eight on the left. The numbers tell a sharp story, though. On the left flank that Vinicius calls home, he scored three goals and laid on one assist. From the right, just one goal and one decisive pass.
The international break puts the debate on ice. Who takes the left flank when it returns, Vinicius, back from suspension, or Diomande? The argument will reignite the moment Celta Vigo visit the Santiago Bernabeu.
For now, Mourinho hands no guarantees to anyone. "When Vini returns to his natural level and becomes available, I will handle the situation as I see fit," he said.