Liverpool's search for Mohamed Salah's replacement has an early frontrunner, and the pressure is already on to get the deal done. Reports from L'Équipe and multiple outlets in England confirm that the club have formally expressed interest in Maghnes Akliouche, the 24-year-old Monaco playmaker who has been one of Ligue 1's standout players this season. The fee being discussed sits around €50 million — but stay too long and that number could jump significantly.
The warning is this: Akliouche is heading into a World Cup summer with France. If he performs at the tournament — and there is every reason to think he will — his market value could balloon overnight. Clubs bidding €50m now might find themselves looking at €90m or more in September. Liverpool's recruitment team reportedly understands this, and the push to conclude a deal before the tournament is very much part of the plan.
What Akliouche brings
Seven goals and eleven assists across 41 appearances in all competitions this season. That productivity from a wide position, aged 24, operating in a Monaco side that regularly contends at the top of Ligue 1, tells you he can handle expectation. Technically he works off the right side, cutting inside onto his stronger foot — the same profile as Salah, which makes the fit logical. He also links play quickly, combines in tight spaces, and creates overloads through pace and movement rather than brute physicality.
Takumi Minamino is an interesting reference point here. Minamino came from a similarly creative mould and found Anfield a difficult adjustment. Whether Akliouche would make the same struggles is unknown — he is a different profile, more confident with the ball in tight areas — but the comparison will inevitably come up if negotiations progress.
The competition Liverpool face
This will not be straightforward. PSG want him. Tottenham have monitored him. A potential move to Paris in particular carries obvious appeal for a French international — playing at the Parc des Princes in front of his home nation would be a significant draw. Liverpool's main selling point is Champions League football and a project that, despite this season's wobbles, still attracts top players.
Monaco hold a strong hand too. The player is under contract and they are not desperate to sell. They will want their price, and the summer schedule — with the World Cup running through the heart of the transfer window — makes negotiations more complicated than usual.
Transfer context: Maghnes Akliouche, age 24, AS Monaco. This season: 7 goals, 11 assists in 41 appearances. Reported Liverpool interest: €50m. Also linked: PSG, Tottenham. Mohamed Salah confirmed departure from Liverpool at end of 2025-26 season.
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