Exclusive: Liverpool plotting summer move for electric Ligue 1 winger Everton let go

Liverpool are interested in Nice winger Mohamed-Ali Cho and are seriously considering a move for him in the summer, TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal.

The 21-year-old is considered to be one of the most exciting young players in Ligue 1 and has shown signs of reaching his world-class potential this season having scored five goals and adding three assists from 25 appearances so far.

Cho has had an interesting journey in football so far, having joined Liverpool’s local rivals Everton from Paris Saint-Germain in 2015, after impressing in a youth tournament in Marseille.

Although Everton couldn’t sign him immediately, Cho made a big impression and they eventually secured his signature, before compensation was due.

Cho ultimately left for Angers in 2020, signing a professional contract with the French side. Everton wanted to keep Cho and held discussions with the club but the parties failed to reach an agreement.

A source with knowledge of the situation has described Everton’s failure to keep hold of Cho as “one of the club’s biggest mistakes in recent years.”

Cho went on to join Real Sociedad in 2022, before a €12m (£10m, $12.4m) switch to Nice in 2024. Now, Liverpool could rub salt in Everton’s wounds by pursuing a move for Cho this summer.

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Liverpool sources confirm Cho interest

Liverpool are always on the lookout for young players who they believe could become top-class players in the future and Cho fits into that category.

We also know that Arne Slot’s side are looking at winger options who can improve them now and in the future, amid the uncertainty surrounding Mo Salah, who is out of contract in the summer.

Slot is interested in signing players who can play in all three positions (right, left winger and striker) across the front line, and Cho has featured in all of those for Nice this season.

The youngster has notched five goals and three assists across all competitions this term, and has experience in Europe after playing in the Europa League.

Sources close to Liverpool have confirmed the club’s interest in Cho, with the former Everton star one of several options on the shortlist for the summer.

Cho only signed for Nice last summer and is under contract until 2028, so the French side are in a position to demand a sizeable fee for his services.

IN-PROFILE: Who is Mohamed-Ali Cho?

By Samuel Bannister.

With a given name reminiscent of one of the greatest sportsmen of all time, Mohamed-Ali Cho is aiming to become a heavyweight in the world of football.

Born in France in January 2004, Cho moved with his family to England at one week of age and mixed his time growing up between his country of birth and his adopted homeland.

After four years in Paris Saint-Germain’s academy, Cho joined Everton in 2015, spending five years in their youth setup.

In May 2020, still only 16, he signed a professional contract with Angers, having returned to France. The only player to ever sign a professional contract in France at a younger age was future Real Madrid talent Eduardo Camavinga at Rennes.

A versatile forward, Cho can operate anywhere across the frontline. He was fast-tracked at Angers, often appearing as a substitute in the 2020-21 season and becoming a more regular starter the following season.

Around this time, Cho was largely playing as a centre-forward. He scored four goals from 32 Ligue 1 games in 2021-22, earning a move to Spain with Real Sociedad.

Over in the Basque Country, the left-footer started playing on the right wing more, but still mixed in with appearances as a striker. Hampered by hamstring and ankle injuries, he only scored one LaLiga goal in his debut season.

Cho only lasted six more months with La Real, now shifting to a left-wing role, before returning to France – and the right wing – via a move to Nice.

This season, Cho has finally started to fulfil his potential with a more frequent scoring ratio. Still only 21 and developing tactically, he has a long career ahead in which he can nail down a more fixed role, but he is proving a useful asset for his current club in their push for a Champions League place.

Pacy and a keen dribbler, Cho is sharpening up his shooting skills – from distance or close range – in his ongoing development, hoping to become the finished article as an attacker.

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