Liverpool have entered the battle to sign Monaco winger Maghnes Akliouche as the Premier League club accelerate plans to replace Mohamed Salah at Anfield this summer.
The 24-year-old France international has emerged as a prime target for the Merseyside side, with Sky Sports reporting that Liverpool have made initial contact to ask about his situation and to gauge Monaco’s willingness to sell during the current transfer window.
Akliouche, who can operate both as a creative playmaker and as a left-footed right winger, is viewed inside Anfield as a strong candidate to fill the void left by Salah, whose glittering nine-year spell with Liverpool ended at the close of last season.
Liverpool step up post-Salah rebuild
Liverpool have so far been unable to fully replace the attacking output of Salah, who became one of the club’s greatest modern forwards after joining in 2017.
The move for Akliouche is being seen as the clearest sign yet that the club are actively implementing a “post-Salah” strategy, seeking a new attacking focal point to lead the line in the coming campaign.
Head coach Andoni Iraola is understood to be pushing for the addition of a new right-sided winger, with the position considered a priority given the Egyptian’s departure and the lack of a like-for-like successor in the current squad.
The club’s recruitment team are exploring options that can both contribute immediately and grow in value, with Akliouche’s age profile and versatility believed to be particularly attractive.
PSG bids rejected as Monaco hold firm
Liverpool face strong competition for Akliouche’s signature, most notably from Paris St-Germain.
The French champions have made the Monaco star one of their primary transfer targets and have already submitted several bids, the latest of which reportedly reached £34m (€40m). All offers to date have been turned down by Monaco’s hierarchy, who are holding out for a higher fee or more favourable conditions.
Monaco’s stance suggests any agreement will be complex and potentially expensive, with the Ligue 1 club under no immediate pressure to sell. Their refusal to accept PSG’s advances so far underlines the value they place on Akliouche after his breakout performances in France.
Liverpool, aware of the intense competition and Monaco’s negotiating position, are currently in the information-gathering phase, seeking clarity on what sort of package might be required to bring the winger to the Premier League.
Tactical fit at Anfield
Akliouche’s profile appears to match closely with what Iraola is seeking in his forward line.
The Frenchman’s ability to play as a central creator and as an inverted right winger offers tactical flexibility, allowing Liverpool to maintain a similar structure to the one built around Salah, while also introducing a different style of play.
Liverpool are also keen to balance their options in attack, particularly with German star Florian Wirtz aiming to cement his status in his second season at Anfield. The arrival of Akliouche would add another high-level technical option in the final third, as the club look to refresh an attacking unit that has been central to their success in recent years.
As the transfer window progresses, Liverpool’s pursuit of Akliouche is set to be closely watched, with the outcome likely to shape the club’s attacking identity in the first full season of the post-Salah era.
