Liverpool’s recruitment team is once again looking firmly towards the future, with some of Europe’s brightest young talents emerging as potential targets ahead of another pivotal transfer window. From exciting winger RB Leipzig Yan Diomande to highly-rated Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, potentially outgoing sporting director Richard Hughes continues to look for top talent capable of producing for the Reds now and in the future.

We caught up with transfer expert Ben Jacobs for the latest on Liverpool’s interest in both players, Hughes’ recruitment strategy, and how the club is approaching a summer that could shape the squad for years to come.

Jacobs discusses where Liverpool stands in the race for Diomande and Bouaddi, the competition, and what Hughes’ long-term vision means for the club’s transfer plans…

Former Yan Diomande Coach On Liverpool Target’s CRAZY Talent

On Yan Diomande: “Yan Diamonde is Liverpool’s priority, but it’s not a hill they’re going to die on in the sense that, like with Alexander Isak, it was a transfer that dragged on all summer, whereas with this, Liverpool wants a little bit more clarity earlier. That’s not to say that there aren’t parallels, and I think the biggest one is if Liverpool gets encouragement, they’ll bid again and quickly. And if they don’t, they’re prepared to move on to other targets. So, the pursuit is ongoing but my anticipation is this is not going to run into August, for example, and I think another aspect to this story is that Leipzig are holding out for this high number of somewhere close to €130m because they’re still waiting for the player to communicate whether he’s prepared to sign a new deal, and if that means he leaves in 2027 and it shuts the door (on a move this summer).”

On Ayyoub Bouaddi: “I think they’ll [the links] get more concrete, obviously, when you’re dealing with a young player and he’s at the World Cup, there’s a sort of etiquette as to how you might get that transfer done and not wanting to distract too much. It’s a bit different, for example, with Elliott Anderson and Manchester City, or if anything develops with Morgan Rodgers. These are players that maybe welcome that completion on international duty. Bouaddi, I sense, wants to just focus on Morocco, and they are now through to the knockout stage. But there are two clubs that are in for him from the Premier League, along with, for example, Real Madrid, who have looked at PSG, and that is Liverpool and Arsenal. So this one could develop; Liverpool likes the profile. He’s going to be one of the hottest properties in world football, and it wouldn’t at all surprise me if Liverpool advanced this after the World Cup. The asking price at the moment is loosely €75m-€85m, and that felt quite high before the World Cup, but of course, he was excellent in the opening game against Brazil. “

On Richard Hughes: “So we should look at this window as Richard Hughes being integral, naturally and committed to Liverpool. But then we should look at what might happen after the window. Could Richard Hughes join immediately once this window shuts? And that’s where Al-Hilal’s confidence comes from, because their belief is basically that Richard Hughes will join and very possibly straight after this summer window. I’ve put this to Liverpool sources for months and months and months because, naturally, I cover Saudi, I go to Saudi, so I hear it from Saudi sources all the time that Richard Hughes is going to join Simon Francis coming into the club. Richard Hughes and Simon Francis know each other. They were a bit of a double act from their time at Bournemouth and so on. Simon Francis is extremely highly rated, so it would make sense that Simon Francis comes in first. Simon Francis lays all the groundwork. Simon Francis fulfils various roles of both sporting director and technical director, and then Richard Hughes joins at a later point of time. And that’s clearly Al-Hilal’s plan. But we have to factor in that for now, he’s committed to Liverpool, so I think that this summer is massive because Liverpool’s sporting team view it as a kind of two-phase spending.”

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REDMEN REACTS

Whilst there is an acceptance that transfer dealings may be trickier with the ongoing World Cup, it appears that Liverpool are continuing to work away in the background, doing due diligence on targets whilst actively working on those who have been identified as answers to solutions. 

All of this in spite of the increasing likelihood of Hughes no longer being in post after the summer business suggests that the Anfield hierarchy are comfortable with the situation and indeed the succession planning thereafter. 

With the World Cup now in full swing, Liverpool stars past and present have been making waves in the most-watched sporting event of the year.

Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo have both scored for the Netherlands, whilst club record signing Alexander Isak will be hoping to put a nightmare season behind him after his goal and two assists for Sweden.

Recently departed club legend Mo Salah will be trying to steer his Egypt side into the knockout stages for the first time, whilst the likes of Florian Wirtz will have an eye on the latter stages of the competition with Germany having qualified as winners of Group E.

Kopites around the world have been paying particular attention to Group E and the performances of Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande, who has been linked with a big-money move to Anfield from RB Leipzig. Die Mannschaft legend Jürgen Klinsmann described the Ivorian as a ‘very special player’ following the match between the two countries last week.

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On the latest episode of our Journo Insight show, we asked the Liverpool Echo’s LFC correspondent, Paul Gorst, for the latest on the Diomande links.

Paul said: “I think Liverpool are certainly in the driving seat. I think the prospect of PSG is there, but I think they’ve got more competition for places and probably less need to buy.

“Liverpool have got a Mohamed Salah-shaped hole in their squad, haven’t they? Liverpool made it clear last week that they were willing to bid up to £86m, which would be €100m.

“Leipzig are holding out for £112m, which would be €130m, but they’re also very reluctant to sell. So still a way to go on this one.

“He was asked about his future, Diomande, after the Ecuador game at the World Cup, and he didn’t exactly say that he wouldn’t be against the move to England. He wasn’t really nailing his colours to the Leipzig mask, I think it’s fair to say.

“I think a lot of things are pointing towards Liverpool being successful in this race. Leipzig, for all their protestations about selling, they are a selling club, aren’t they?

“Gun to my head, I would say Liverpool will get Diomande. I think they will be successful in this one, but that’s just my opinion at this stage.”

Former Yan Diomande Coach On Liverpool Target’s CRAZY Talent

REDMEN REACTS

Liverpool’s misfiring attack was one of the many reasons for their struggles last season and will have been a contributory factor in the departure of Arne Slot. The Reds need a replacement for Mo Salah and have bolstered the ranks with last week’s signing of Víctor Muñoz. Diomande – described as ‘fearless’ by Gary Neville – is certainly an exciting player and is amongst the most coveted youngsters in European football. With the mooted fee now pushing over the £100m mark, the pressure to succeed immediately could weigh heavily on young shoulders. The Reds simply cannot afford another player with a nine-figure transfer fee to struggle to adapt to life at Anfield as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have done. There are examples of teenagers joining big clubs for big money who have become key men for their sides, such as Vini Jr. at Real Madrid. However, there are also cautionary tales, such as Atlético’s purchase of João Félix. If the 19-year-old does arrive this summer, a fast start is absolutely vital.