Liverpool make enquiry for “explosive” £42m star

Having lay dormant during the last 12 months or so, Liverpool’s recruitment staff have sprung into life this summer season, having fun with a merely outstanding begin to the window to solely bolster Arne Slot’s already imperious outfit.

In offers akin to a Soccer Supervisor save, the Anfield facet have moved swiftly and effectively to strengthen their hand, having already confirmed marquee offers for Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez – alongside the goalkeeping duo of Armin Pesci and Freddie Woodman.

That has all come earlier than the beginning of July, with the Premier League champions impressively enhancing, quite than weakening, their ranks, even amid Trent Alexander-Arnold’s eventual departure.

And there may very well be extra to return but. Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, now with simply 12 months remaining on his contract at Selhurst Park, stays a prime goal for the Reds. A alternative for the seemingly departing Darwin Nunez may even must be discovered.

Elsewhere, in the meantime, doubts over the way forward for Luis Diaz may spark the necessity for a brand new possibility on the flanks, with work already being accomplished on that entrance…

Newest on Liverpool’s seek for a winger

Had issues labored out otherwise, the Merseysiders might effectively have signed off on a very assertion deal a 12 months in the past, with a transfer for Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon – which might have seen Joe Gomez head in the other way – failing to return to fruition.

Regardless of subsequently including Federico Chiesa to the fold as an alternative, the will for a brand new winger has definitely not abated, with current reviews suggesting that Liverpool may very well be amongst a raft of golf equipment within the combine for Lyon starlet, Malick Fofana.

In response to TEAMtalk, whereas it’s Everton who seem to carry the strongest curiosity within the 20-year-old, Liverpool – alongside the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea – have additionally made an enquiry too, forward of a possible swoop.

The race for the Belgian’s signature is alleged to be ‘open’, with top-flight golf equipment lining as much as pounce on Lyon’s present woes, following their current relegation from Ligue 1.

That dramatic drop into France’s second tier has left suitors hoping that they’ll safe Fofana’s signature for beneath the earlier €50m (£42m) asking value, guaranteeing a possible cut price may very well be up for grabs.

Why Liverpool ought to pounce for Malick Fofana

For all of the knowledge of trying inside the Premier League for a ready-made determine like Kerkez, there’s a actual intrigue over plucking an thrilling younger expertise from overseas, with the Reds already raiding the Bundesliga for one in all their brightest stars, within the type of Wirtz.

Nonetheless simply 22, the £116m man has arrived in English soccer off the again of a shocking stint at Bayer Leverkusen, having registered 122 targets and assists in simply 197 video games for the German facet. Within the phrases of The Athletic’s Bundesliga correspondent, Seb Stafford-Bloor, the playmaker is “already probably the greatest footballers [he’s] ever seen dwell”.

What additionally stands out concerning the rising star is his innate versatility, having showcased his means to characteristic off both flank, as a quantity ten, and even as a false 9 for each membership and nation to this point.

That flexibility is seemingly shared by the “explosive” Fofana – as hailed by knowledge analyst Ben Mattinson – with the previous Gent ace having additionally operated on the left or proper wing in his senior profession to this point, in addition to a centre-forward or attacking midfielder.

The place the Belgian can also be akin to Wirtz is of their dribbling prowess, with the Lyon man rating within the prime 2% of his friends in Europe’s prime 5 leagues for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, whereas his German counterpart ranks within the prime 4% for profitable take-ons per 90.

In fact, the latter man is the superior expertise – as his document of twenty-two targets and assists within the league showcased final time period – however Fofana has additionally dazzled when given the possibility, offering 5 targets and 4 assists in Ligue 1 in 2024/25, regardless of beginning simply 16 video games.

That stable return has ensured that Fofana ranks within the prime 10% of his European colleagues for non-penalty targets, at a median of 0.47 per 90, with that really putting him forward of Wirtz, who averaged 0.38 for that very same metric.

Very like the ex-Leverkusen man ranked among the many brightest stars within the Bundesliga, Fofana is a diamond in his personal proper in Ligue 1, having even been famous as being ‘Eden Hazard-like’ on account of his means to weave his well past defenders.

And so, having already forked out for one exceptionally thrilling expertise within the type of Wirtz, Liverpool and Slot may now raid one other of Europe’s prime 5 leagues in related circumstances.