According to reports, Liverpool are set to open talks with Lyon over the transfer of Nabil Fekir.
Jurgen Klopp should aim to bolster his midfield and attacking options following Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League final. The German is reportedly interested in Nabil Fekir, with the Frenchman having been identified as the man to fill Philippe Coutinho’s boots at Anfield.
Fekir has enjoyed a fantastic season with Lyon, firing 23 goals and supplying 9 assists in 40 appearances in all competitions. But the Lyon star has distanced suggestions with a move to Anfield, claiming, “I’m not close to Reds”.
So, if Liverpool fail to sign Fekir from Lyon, who else can Klopp turn to? Who can complement the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in the Reds’ attacking line-up?
Here’s a look at three alternatives Liverpool should target in summer.
Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig)
Liverpool will already have a player in Naby Keita join them from RB Leipzig next month. So why not raid Leipzig again this summer?
Leipzig’s sudden rise in European football in the last couple of years has been a spectacular story and while the likes of Timo Werner, Naby Keita and Peter Gulacsi have contributed to the cause, one cannot keep Emil Forsberg out of the picture.
Fast, agile and athletic, Forsberg is considered as one of the exciting attacking prospects in the Bundesliga. The Sweden international is equally adept at creating as well as scoring goals. Full of creativity and energy, he was the top assist maker in the Bundesliga last season.
Forsberg is indeed shaping up to be an outstanding player and would fit very well into Liverpool’s full-throttle style of football.
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
While some may point to the struggles he had at a big club before, Wilfried Zaha has put behind everything and improved massively at Crystal Palace. In fact, Zaha was the catalyst in turning around Palace’s fortunes this season.
With blistering pace, agility and plenty of energy to offer, the Ivorian is a kind of player that can change the game in a blink of an eye.
After a failed spell with Manchester United, Zaha has matured as a player since returning back to Palace. He scored 9 goals in the Premier League this season and could provide the extra x-factor that Liverpool would need next season to challenge in all competitions.
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City)
Riyad Mahrez was one of the stars in Leicester City’s 2015/16 title-winning campaign but cooled off in the following couple of seasons.
Despite that, Mahrez showed flashes of brilliance in the recently concluded season and on his day, he can be a dangerous player for even the best of defences. Manchester City are close to completing a £75m deal for the Algerian and Liverpool must hijack this deal if possible.
Following another inconsistent season for the Foxes, Mahrez could be keen to leave the club as he desperately needs to rediscover his mojo.
Mahrez would fit the bill perfectly at Liverpool in a number of ways. The Algerian’s versatility means that he could also provide a rotation option for one of Liverpool’s formidable attacking trio, something which will be needed next season as Klopp looks to mount a much bigger assault on the Premier League title.
In every way, the Leicester man could be a fantastic addition to the Reds’ attacking ranks next term.