Fabrizio Romano confirms Liverpool want explosive Ligue 1 attacker to join Ekitike

Liverpool manager Arne Slot is reported to have personally requested they move for Malick Fofana as the replacement for Luis Diaz if the Colombian departs, with two trusted sources underlining the Reds’ interest and with Lyon’s asking price now coming to light.

The Reds are obliterating record after record in this summer’s transfer market, with the addition of Hugo Ekitike on Wednesday taking their spending through the £268m (€309m, $363m) mark. With seven new faces now in their squad, optimism will be high that Liverpool can retain the Premier League title they won in such dominant fashion last season.

And with our reporter Fraser Fletcher explaining why a jaw-dropping move for Alexander Isak cannot be ruled out this summer, with the player increasingly unsettled at Newcastle and frustrated by their summer business, the Reds appear far from finished spending in this most historic of summers.

However, the next addition at Anfield could actually come on the wing, especially if Luis Diaz gets his apparent wish fulfilled to leave for Bayern Munich, and with the German giants offering the Colombian a sizeable wage rise.

As a result, the Reds are very wisely keeping their eyes on a number of possible replacements, for which Real Madrid superstar Rodrigo has been strongly mentioned.

But as our man Fraser Fletcher revealed on June 5, Liverpool also have a very strong interest in Lyon winger Fofana and were actively scouting him over the final weeks of last season.

Now both Romano and Sacha Tavolieri have confirmed the Reds are planning a firm move for the explosive Belgium international winger.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed: “Don’t forget Malick Fofana, who is a player appreciated at Bayern in case they can’t sign Luis Diaz, and also appreciated by Liverpool, but he is not the only option at the winger position.

“Because there are several clubs interested in Malick Fofana, and Liverpool are considering several options.”

Romano’s update follows an earlier claim by Tavolieri, who wrote on his X account: ‘Liverpool FC remains on standby for Malick Fofana. As soon as Federico Chiesa’s departure to Serie A is finalised, the Reds are expected to move for the Belgian, who is highly rated by the scouting department.’

READ MORE 🔴 Liverpool biggest signings: Hugo Ekitike displaces Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool prefer Fofana over Rodrygo as price emerges

Per an earlier update from Caught Offside this week, Liverpool have already held talks with the player’s agent as they look to get ahead of the competition for a star who registered 11 goals and added six assists last season for Lyon.

However, in those talks, the Merseysiders have also been made aware that competition for Fofana is tough, with as many as eight other clubs all credited with an interest.

As well as Liverpool, the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Newcastle, PSG, Juventus and Napoli are also keen on the explosive Ligue 1 star.

As a result, it’s reported any deal will cost in the region of €50m (£43m, $58m), with Lyon keen to maximise their profit owing to a 20% sell-on clause owed to his former side, KAA Gent.

However, the Reds’ chances are boosted by the player’s thoughts on a possible move to Anfield.

In an interview back in May, the attacker’s agent, Bobo Fofana, revealed that a switch to Liverpool would be the dream, though did also suggest a move to Newcastle United could be of interest too.

“The choice of heart would be Liverpool,” he said. “He has the potential to enter the rotation, and above all, we would like to see him succeed African legends such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and El Hadji Diouf.

“Now, the choice of reason would be Newcastle, a well-structured club that could be a first step to gain experience before, perhaps, joining a club in the European top five.

“He has the profile to succeed in the Premier League. He possesses qualities similar to those of Manchester United’s Amad Diallo, namely speed, impact, and the ability to create opportunities. There’s no doubt he can make a splash.

“For him, this would be an opportunity to continue his development and, above all, to showcase his talent in a league that favours transitional play. However, he’ll have to choose the right club, as competition is fierce across the Channel.”

Liverpool transfer latest: Luis Diaz makes new exit appeal; big Konate update

Were the Reds to go for Rodrygo instead, that move would get an unlikely thumbs up from Manchester United midfielder Casemiro, who has given Liverpool a taste of what they can expect from the Real Madrid superstar.

Meanwhile, strong new reports claim Luis Diaz has asked Liverpool bosses to accept Bayern Munich’s latest proposal to sign him, and with a top source explaining why the Bundesliga giants are increasingly confident of striking a deal, with the Reds’ asking price lower than initially reported.

Elsewhere, Liverpool intend to renew contract talks with Ibrahima Konate as a matter of urgency, according to Romano, with the transfer guru making clear Real Madrid’s admiration and with the defender’s main ‘priority’ now coming to light.

Who is Malick Fofana?

By Samuel Bannister

Born in the Belgian city of Aalst in 2005, Malick Fofana spent eight years developing in the Gent academy and graduated to earn 64 appearances for the first team.

He earned his move to Lyon in January 2024 and his full international debut for Belgium followed that October.

Right-footed, he has mainly played on the left wing for Lyon, getting more consistent game time in a focused position than he did during his teenage years with Gent.

He has grown in terms of his goal threat too, reaching 10 for the 2024-25 season, thanks majorly to his impact for Lyon in the Europa League.

OL’s faith in him is paying off. They paid a significant price to sign him when he was just 18 years old and they were looking over their shoulders in the Ligue 1 table.

It could be argued that OL took a risk buying Fofana. But the player himself is a risk-taker. In an age of calculated tactics where anything that could lead to a loss of possession is discouraged, Fofana loves to take on opponents.

There are areas to add to his game, but the way he has improved his finishing is promising. And when you have the explosive pace that he possesses, opponents can sometimes be helpless.

Fofana ranks in the 98th percentile for Ligue 1 wingers and attacking midfielders with the most progressive carries per 90 minutes.

His boss, Pierre Sage, observed in December that Fofana recorded a ‘quite enormous’ 400 metres of sprinting in one game against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League.

Considering players from Europe’s top five leagues, FBref names Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho as the one Fofana is most stylistically similar to.