Liverpool are eyeing a move for Chelsea and Manchester United target Malick Fofana, according to L’Equipe. The Belgian forward arrived at Lyon in January 2024 from Gent in a reported €17m fee.
Fofana was a hit with the Ligue 1 club in the 2024/25 campaign, finishing with 11 goals and six assists from 41 games across competitions. The 20-year-old is under contract at the Groupama Stadium until 2028, and is expected to cost around €50m this summer.
Chelsea have already reached out to Lyon to discuss the possibilities of a deal. The Blues enjoyed a decent campaign under Enzo Maresca, finishing fourth in the Premier League and winning the Europa Conference League.
The London giants are planning to upgrade their attack before the new season, having opted against a permanent move for Jadon Sancho. Chelsea have identified Fofana as an alternative to the Englishman and are ready to take him to Stamford Bridge this summer.
However, Liverpool have now entered the race for the Belgian. The Reds won the Premier League in the 2024/25 season, but faltered in the domestic cups and the Champions League.
The Merseyside club have already invested in Jeremie Frimpong, and are apparently close to securing the services of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. However, Liverpool also want to add more firepower to their frontline and have set their sights on Fofana. The report adds that the Reds have established contact with the player’s camp to discuss a move.
Liverpool and Chelsea could also go head-to-head for the services of Tyler Dibling this summer, according to Caught Offside. The 19-year-old forward was a rare shining light for Southampton in the 2024/25 campaign, registering four goals and three assists from 38 games across competitions.
Dibling’s efforts were not enough to save the Saints from relegation, and he is now expected to leave St. Mary’s Stadium this summer. The English forward is not short of suitors at the moment, especially in the Premier League.
RB Leipzig previously tried to prise Dibling away, but their €35m offer was rejected by Southampton. The player is likely to cost around €60m this summer, which is a steep price for a relatively unproven talent.
Chelsea have invested in younger faces in recent windows, and Dibling suits their transfer strategy. Meanwhile, Liverpool could also consider the Englishman as a potential successor to Mohamed Salah.
Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer’s Wikipedia page.
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