Liverpool target drops major hint on future as Chelsea also consider move for World Cup star

It’s no secret that Liverpool are in the market for a midfielder or two this summer and one of their transfer targets has dropped a fresh hint over his future.

After missing out on Jude Bellingham, Jurgen Klopp has been exploring other avenues of the market to find value.

Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister remains to be a primary target for Liverpool this summer. However, they are also keen on a more defensive option.

Monaco star Youssouf Fofana has also appeared on their radar of late. The French midfielder has been going well in Ligue 1 and has attracted plenty of interest.

The 24-year-old recently spoke about his future in France as he has been made well aware of the interest in him this summer.

“Monaco is a great club in France and Europe,” the French midfielder explained (via Evening Standard).

“A lot of big clubs come here to find players and we are all aware of this. If it is the right opportunity or moment [to leave], I can’t say.

“I don’t know but we are doing things the right way here at the moment. I have already played with top players but if one day I can play with more big names then it will be a pleasure and mean I have performed well.”

Monaco have an excellent track record when it comes to developing young French players and selling them for a profit.

The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar and Anthony Martial are all notable examples from the past eight years.

Fofana himself certainly isn’t ruling out a move this summer as he is well aware of the model that Monaco usually work towards.

Liverpool face competition for his signature

Along with Liverpool, Chelsea also hold a strong interest in the midfielder. Chelsea already have a core of French players and Fofana could be their latest addition.

This season in Ligue 1 he has featured in 33 matches. In that time he has scored two goals and provided two assists.

However, his best attributes are his defensive instincts. He has made a total of 72 tackles this season which is more than any Chelsea or Liverpool player has managed.

For content, Fabinho has won 63 tackles in the league at a rate of 1.9 per game, which is slightly less than the French midfielder.

Plenty of clubs from around Europe will have noticed the Monaco midfielder from his appearances in the World Cup with France.

The 24-year-old appeared in six matches, with two of those being starts. His standout performance came against Morocco when he played a full 90 minutes.

Along with Fofana, Klopp has been keeping his eye on several other midfielders. Feyenoord captain, Orkun Kokcu has also been a player of interest.

The 22-year-old also operates as a holding midfielder but does offer a greater goal threat than that of Fofana.

Across all competitions this season the Turkish midfielder has scored 13 goals and provided five assists. Adding more goals to the midfield will be especially useful for Liverpool next season.

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