Liverpool Signs Djylian N’Guessan for Future Attack
Liverpool have their next big attacking bet lined up – and the present is about to be ripped up and rewritten as well.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has delivered his trademark “here we go” on Djylian N’Guessan, confirming that Liverpool have struck a deal with Saint-Etienne for the highly rated teenager, while the club juggle Cody Gakpo’s exit and a tense chase for Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr.
Liverpool lock in N’Guessan for the future
The move for N’Guessan is one for the long game. The 18-year-old Saint-Etienne forward, regarded as one of the standout attacking talents in Ligue 2, will remain in France for another season before joining Liverpool in the summer of 2027.
French outlet Foot Mercato, via journalist Santi Aouna, first revealed that Liverpool and AS Saint-Etienne were in advanced talks, with “last details to settle” over the transfer. Aouna underlined that Saint-Etienne had effectively opened the door for their young star to leave, despite his contract running until 2027, with Liverpool viewing him as a major prospect.
Hours later, Romano confirmed that agreement had been reached. Writing on X, he reported that Liverpool had sealed a deal for N’Guessan, the 18-year-old French striker set to arrive in 2027, with the player’s side also sorted and authorization granted for a medical. The move follows the signing of Lucca Brughmans, another addition aimed squarely at the club’s next generation.
Liverpool’s late-window strategy under Andoni Iraola is clear: build for tomorrow while still trying to fix today’s frontline. The N’Guessan deal will not alter their immediate plans, but it underlines how firmly the club are trying to future-proof Anfield’s attack.
Barcola in, Gakpo out – if Liverpool get their winger
The present, though, is dominated by a very different name. Bradley Barcola is on the verge of completing his switch from PSG after passing a medical on Sunday, a blockbuster arrival that is expected to trigger a major outgoing.
Gakpo is ready to walk through the exit door. And not to Tottenham.
The Dutch forward has an agreement in place with Manchester City, Romano revealed on his YouTube channel, with personal terms “all set already”. City have also lodged an £85m bid with Liverpool.
There is one catch. Liverpool will only sign off on Gakpo’s move if they land a right winger before Tuesday night’s deadline. No winger, no sale. The entire late window at Anfield now hangs on that single condition.
Sarr at the centre of the domino
That brings the spotlight onto Ismaila Sarr.
According to Romano, Sarr is currently Liverpool’s priority target on the wing, ahead of Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh. The Crystal Palace attacker has emerged as the preferred option to unlock the Gakpo domino.
Palace, though, are holding the line. Romano says the London club are still refusing to sanction Sarr’s departure, even as they quietly scan the market for potential replacements in case the right offer lands.
Liverpool have already tested Palace’s resolve. Romano revealed that an official written bid worth £45m plus £5m in add-ons – a £50m package – was sent earlier in the week and rejected. The approach had flown under the radar, with no media links at the time, but the story has now burst into the open.
Palace are adamant that Sarr will not leave for that figure. The player, however, is keen. Romano is clear: Sarr wants the move to Liverpool. The outcome now rests on whether the two clubs can find common ground before the window slams shut.
A frantic finish at Anfield
Behind the scenes, the scramble is intense. Agents are flooding Liverpool with winger options, aware that the club’s need is both obvious and urgent. Iraola’s side cannot afford to lose Gakpo without a replacement lined up, not with the season stretching out and the demands on the forward line only set to grow.
So Liverpool stand at a crossroads: a future shaped by N’Guessan and Brughmans already inked in, a present defined by whether they can prise Sarr from Palace and cash in on Gakpo.
By Tuesday night, we will know if this is just another busy window, or the moment Liverpool’s attack is torn down and rebuilt for years to come.
