Fabrizio Romano has indicated what transfer move Maghnes Akliouche is likeliest to make next after a reported enquiry from Liverpool regarding the AS Monaco winger.
On Wednesday, Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas broke the news that the Reds had made an ‘initial approach’ for the 24-year-old, who’s also a ‘prime target’ for Paris Saint-Germain.
Luis Enrique’s side are understood to have made multiple offers for the France international, the most recent of whch was rumoured to be in the region of £34m, and all of which have been rejected by the Monegasques.
In a transfer livestream on his X profile late on Wednesday night, Romano voiced his belief that Akliouche seems more likely to join PSG than Liverpool, with the player understood to have the Champions League holders as his preference.
The transfer reporter said: “Many rumours and reports today about Liverpool and Akliouche, but my information is that Maghnes Akliouche will be, barring any surprises, a Paris Saint-Germain player.
“At the moment, there is still no full agreement between the two clubs. Apart from some calls from Premier League clubs, the player Akliouche is still giving priority to Paris Saint-Germain.
“He has an agreement on the contract with PSG. He’s very tempted by the possibility of joining the Paris Saint-Germain project as a French player during the World Cup, surrounded by many Paris Saint-Germain players.
“He was already discussing where he’s going to play, what kind of connection there will be, so my feeling is really strong about Paris Saint-Germain [and] Maghnes Akliouche. Then, if some English clubs come and join the race, I will let you know.”
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From Romano’s update, it would seem that PSG are firmly in pole position to sign Akliouche, having seemingly progressed further with their interest in him than any Premier League suitor, and with the 24-year-old seemingly preferring a move to Paris.
However, so long as the Ligue 1 champions don’t meet Monaco’s asking price for the winger – CaughtOffside reporter Mark Brus previously cited figures of around €60m-€70m (£51.3m-£59.8m) – that may leave the door open for Liverpool to outbid the Parisians and take charge of this transfer race.
The Frenchman would provide the Reds with a natural right-sided option to replace Mo Salah in the starting XI and would likely be substantially cheaper than Bradley Barcola (who plays primarily on the left), although the latter has a more prolific track record and is more proven at the highest level in Europe, having won the Champions League twice.
If Barcola were to prove unattainable for LFC – most likely due to his exorbitant price range – a move for Akliouche would be well worth elevating to high-priority status. That is, of course, providing that PSG don’t succeed in agreeing a deal with Monaco in the meantime.
Let’s see whether Liverpool can steal ahead of Enrique’s side in the race for the 24-year-old, which could be one of the more compelling transfer stories of the summer.
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