Liverpool Secures Djylian N'Guessan Deal for 2027 Strike Option
Liverpool are closing this transfer window with one eye firmly on the future, tying up a deal for highly rated St Etienne striker Djylian N'Guessan – even though he will not arrive at Anfield until 2027.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that Liverpool have reached an agreement with St Etienne for the 18-year-old forward, with a deal also in place on the player’s side. N'Guessan has been given the green light to undergo a medical, completing the framework of a move that will only come into effect in the summer of 2027.
The fee remains undisclosed, but the intention is clear: Liverpool are building a forward line for the next era, not just the next season.
Future-focused window
This late flurry of business comes at the end of a window that could yet become hectic on Merseyside. A deal for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola is understood to be agreed, pending official confirmation, adding another young, high-ceiling attacker to the club’s plans.
Liverpool have already moved decisively for the long term in goal. Genk goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans has agreed a transfer worth around €35 million, but like N'Guessan, he will not link up with the club until next summer.
The pattern is hard to miss. While supporters wait for immediate first-team reinforcements, the recruitment team is quietly locking in pieces for the next three to four years.
Who is Djylian N'Guessan?
N'Guessan only turned 18 recently, but St Etienne have already pushed him toward senior football. A natural centre-forward who can also operate in wide areas, he has made 13 first-team appearances, several of which came in the 2024–25 season.
Most of his minutes, though, have come with Saint Etienne's B team and under-19 side, where his development has been carefully managed. Internationally, he has been capped up to under-20 level for his country, underlining his status as one of the more promising talents in his age group.
For Liverpool, the logic is straightforward. By allowing N'Guessan to stay in France for the next few years, he can continue to grow with regular game time instead of fighting for scraps behind established forwards at Anfield. For the player, remaining at St Etienne offers a clearer pathway and less turbulence at a crucial stage of his career.
Liverpool fans will relish the idea of another exciting attacking prospect being lined up for the future. The question now is whether the club can match that long-term vision with the immediate signings needed to keep pace at the top of the Premier League this season.
