Liverpool and Arsenal will face off at Anfield on Sunday, and the current top two in the Premier League could also do battle over the summer in the race for a mutual transfer target.
Despite the Reds romping to the top-flight title and leaving the Gunners firmly in the distance, there could be a few exits from Arne Slot’s squad in the coming months, with an abundance of speculation surrounding numerous players.
Luis Diaz is one of those who’s been linked with a potential exit from Merseyside, with Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal hoping to lure him to the Middle East, although the LFC head coach is unsurprisingly determined not to lose the Colombian after a season in which he’s scored 16 goals and counting.
However, if the 28-year-old were to depart, Liverpool may have another left winger lined up to immediately take his place.
Liverpool and Arsenal both showing strong interest in Malick Fofana
According to CaughtOffside, the Reds and Arsenal are among the leading contenders to sign Malick Fofana from Lyon, who’s been made available for transfer this summer for a fee in the region of €50m (£42.3m).
The Premier League duo are hopeful of being able to snap him up for less than that due to the Ligue 1 club’s parlous financial situation, with the Merseyside giants expected to make a ‘serious move’ for the 20-year-old.
Aston Villa, Newcastle, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are also keeping an eye on the Belgian winger’s situation at the Groupama Stadium.
Fofana would be a signing for the future rather than the short-term at Liverpool
Fofana has enjoyed an eye-catching season at Lyon with 11 goals and six assists in 39 matches, and those tallies would surely have been higher were it not for a couple of spells out injured (Transfermarkt).
Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout has described him (via X and Facebook) as a ‘magnificent winger prospect’ with a ‘big future ahead’, and a player who’s ‘already showing flashes of his enormous potential’.
Ideally Liverpool won’t sell either Diaz or Cody Gakpo this summer and will continue to have those two proven operators as their left-sided attacking options for next term, although we can certainly see why they’d be interested in the Lyon youngster.
FSG certainly won’t want to let Arsenal have a free run at Fofana, especially if our number 7 is tempted towards the Saudi Pro League, and Lyon’s financial problems could make him ripe for a transfer this summer.
The ebullilently self-confident 20-year-old strikes us as a player who the Reds would be signing not necessarily for an immediate impact, but rather his vast long-term potential if he can build upon the fine season he’s had with the Ligue 1 side.
