Liverpool finds a worthy successor to Mohamed Salah: The race for Maghnes Akliouche begins

English club Liverpool is taking active steps in the transfer market to fill the void left by Mohamed Salah. The Merseyside club has joined the race for Monaco's talented winger Maghnes Akliouche. According to Sky Sports, the English club has made initial contact to explore the transfer possibilities. This is reported by Goal.com reports.

Akliouche, a member of the France U21 national team, had recently attracted the attention of Paris Saint-Germain. However, several bids from the Parisian club were rejected by the Monaco board. This situation has created a favorable opportunity for Liverpool, opening the door for them to take the lead in the transfer race.

Maghnes Akliouche is a product of the Monaco academy and has been a consistent performer for the first team since 2021. Over this period, he has made 139 appearances and scored 23 goals. Last season was particularly successful for him, as he recorded 7 goals and 10 assists in 43 matches across all competitions.

PSG's rejected bids and competition

Paris Saint-Germain made several attempts to sign Akliouche during this transfer window. Reports suggest that the French champions' latest bid was £34 million, but Monaco deemed this amount insufficient for the player. Monaco's firm stance is encouraging Liverpool to act more aggressively.

Liverpool's new head coach Andoni Iraola has openly stated that the team needs a new winger. According to him, new names are necessary to strengthen the squad and cover for injured players. "We definitely need a winger. We must always be open to new options to improve the squad," the coach noted at a press conference.

As a reminder, Liverpool previously signed Victor Muñoz from Osasuna for £34.5 million. The club also held negotiations for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, but the Merseysiders were only willing to pay £86 million instead of the £112 million demanded by the German club. Therefore, the Akliouche option is currently the top priority for the club.