Djylian N’Guessan has been billed as one of the most intriguing young talents to emerge from French football in recent years, and his rise has now taken another fascinating turn with Liverpool agreeing a deal for the highly-rated forward.
The 18-year-old came through the Saint-Étienne academy and was being spoken about as one of the club’s most exciting prospects before making his senior debut as a teenager.
After a difficult period for playing time at Saint-Étienne, the French youth international has now joined Brest on loan, giving him the opportunity to play regular senior football in Ligue 1 while continuing his development before making the switch to Merseyside in 2027.
But what is it that has made Liverpool sign him? What kind of player are they getting, what are his strengths, and what does he still need to develop before he can make an impact at the highest level?
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Dan spoke to French football expert Raphaël Nouet to find out more…
How would you describe him as a player? “He is a complete and versatile forward. He possesses good technical ability, knows how to use his body to shield the ball, exploits open spaces effectively, and is strong in the air. Thanks to his agility and pace, he can play out wide, even though he lacks the primary attributes of a traditional winger—specifically, crossing ability. When playing on the flank, he tends to cut inside to look for a shot on goal. Nor is he a “fox in the box” type who might go unnoticed for 90 minutes; he likes to get involved in the play, dropping deep to get on the ball and create space for his teammates.”
Was there a moment where people started to recognise his talent and what he could become? “Yes, in 2025, when he shone with the youth national teams. He scored 4 goals in 5 matches during the U17 Euros in May and then took part in the U20 World Cup in the autumn. It was during that latter tournament that he really stood out, even though he didn’t always start. After the World Cup, he began attracting interest from abroad, which caused tension with AS Saint-Étienne, his club at the time. It was really from 2025 onwards that the French football world began to realise N’Guessan had immense potential—but also that he wasn’t necessarily easy to manage!”
He has played for the first team; how has he coped? “Things didn’t go well, for several reasons. First, tensions quickly arose between N’Guessan and ASSE. Consequently, he was effectively “punished” by seeing very little first-team action; Les Verts didn’t necessarily want him to showcase his talent further and risk losing him to another club. The second reason is that Saint-Étienne has been mired in a prolonged slump regarding results. It is difficult to break through under those conditions, even in Ligue 2. The club was desperate to win promotion and was reluctant to field young players for fear of burning them out. Then, when they did reach Ligue 1, their performance was disastrous, and they still didn’t play the youngsters—for the same reasons. Finally, the few times N’Guessan did play, he was deployed as an out-and-out winger whose primary task was to deliver crosses. That isn’t his style of play. Not to mention the fact that football in France is highly physical, and he needs to bulk up.”
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Is there anyone you’d compare him to? “When you watch compilations of his best goals, you might think he has all the attributes to be the next Fernando Torres—combining physicality with technical skill. But let’s not get carried away with unrealistic hype. So, I’d say he’s a bit like David N’Gog. I hope N’Guessan enjoys more success with the Reds than the former PSG player did…”
Thoughts on the move to Liverpool and in particular the decision to loan him to Brest first? “I’m going to be very harsh on young French footballers: most of them put money before football, and that seems to be the case with N’Guessan. Instead of developing steadily at AS Saint-Étienne, he listened to his entourage and chased the money all the way to the Premier League. Since the Bosman ruling, countless young French players have burned out in England by trying to move too fast—most notably Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Anthony Le Tallec at the Reds. I don’t think that was the best move for him or his development. However, his loan to Brest is a good idea, even though the team is in a rebuilding phase following the death of their coach (Eric Roy) over the summer and the departure of their sporting director (Grégory Lorenzi) to Marseille. At Brest—a team that will be fighting to avoid relegation—N’Guessan will have to battle in every match, but he will be in a calmer environment. He will face far less pressure than he did at Saint-Étienne or, of course, at Liverpool.”
Finally, how high is his ceiling? How much potential does he have? “It’s hard to say just how far he’ll go. He has great potential, but shining at the youth level is one thing—making it at the top level is quite another. I feel he lacks muscle, though that’s to be expected given his age. I also have serious doubts about his mental fortitude—whether he has the drive to put in the work required to become a true champion. I could be wrong, but when a player shows so little gratitude toward the club that developed him, it suggests he lacks the right mindset to reach the elite level. It also remains to be seen if his technique can adapt to the intensity of the Premier League. I’m not convinced he’ll ever be a regular starter for LFC. But, as I said, I hope I’m wrong.”
