Liverpool have reportedly added AS Monaco attacker Maghnes Akliouche to their list of transfer targets as the club continues searching for greater creativity and depth across the forward line.
The Premier League side are understood to have contacted Monaco to gather information about the France international’s availability. The approach remains at an exploratory stage, with no confirmed formal bid or advanced negotiation between the clubs.
Liverpool are not alone in monitoring Akliouche. Paris Saint-Germain have been pursuing the 24-year-old throughout the summer but have struggled to satisfy Monaco’s financial demands. Reports indicate that the French champions have already seen several proposals rejected, including an offer worth approximately €40 million.
Monaco are believed to value their academy graduate at around €70 million, although some reports suggest they might eventually negotiate closer to €50 million or €60 million if the structure of the deal is attractive.
The disagreement has created an opening for Liverpool.
Akliouche possesses many of the characteristics the English club are believed to want in their next attacking addition. He is left-footed, technically gifted and capable of operating as a right winger, attacking midfielder or advanced number eight. His ability to receive between the lines and create chances from tight spaces would provide a different dimension to Liverpool’s attack.
However, the transfer remains complicated.
PSG continue to regard Akliouche as a serious target and are reportedly preparing another proposal. The player may also prefer to remain in France, where joining the country’s dominant club would allow him to compete for major honours without leaving Ligue 1.
Liverpool must therefore decide how far they are willing to take their interest and whether Akliouche represents a genuine priority or simply one of several attacking options being evaluated.
Liverpool Begin Exploring the Opportunity
Liverpool’s reported contact with Monaco appears to have been an initial enquiry rather than a complete transfer proposal.
That distinction matters because clubs regularly contact potential sellers to understand the financial and contractual conditions surrounding a player. An enquiry can involve discussions over valuation, payment structure, wages and whether the footballer would be interested in the move.
It does not necessarily mean a formal bid will follow.
Reports suggest Liverpool’s interest may even have begun before the 2026 World Cup, where Akliouche was part of the France squad. Further accounts have described him as one of several names assessed by the club rather than an undisputed first-choice target.
Liverpool’s recruitment team must examine multiple possibilities because the attacking market is highly competitive.
The club have already been linked with Bradley Barcola and Yan Diomande, while other wide forwards may become available as leading European clubs reshape their squads. Each candidate offers a different balance of cost, experience and potential.
Akliouche appears to offer a particularly attractive combination.
He already has experience in Ligue 1 and European competition, but he remains young enough to improve significantly. He would also arrive with tactical flexibility rather than being limited to one position.
Monaco Reject PSG’s Proposals
PSG’s pursuit provides the clearest indication of Monaco’s determination to secure a substantial fee. Reports claim the European champions have submitted three proposals during the summer. The most recent was valued at approximately €40 million, but Monaco rejected it because it remained well below their expectations.
PSG are now believed to be considering a fourth offer of around €50 million. Even that figure could fall short if Monaco continue demanding close to €70 million.
Monaco’s position is understandable.
Akliouche is not a surplus player approaching the final months of his contract. He is an important member of the team, a product of the club’s academy and a footballer whose value could continue increasing.
Selling him would weaken Monaco’s attack and create a difficult replacement task. The club would need to identify another creative player capable of producing immediately while also adapting to the tactical demands of Ligue 1 and European football.
Monaco are therefore calculating more than Akliouche’s theoretical market value.
They are considering his sporting importance, the cost of finding a replacement and the amount wealthy rivals may be prepared to pay.
PSG’s domestic position may also encourage Monaco to remain especially firm. Strengthening the strongest team in France carries an additional sporting consequence, so Monaco may demand a premium before allowing Akliouche to join a direct rival.
Why Liverpool Need Another Attacker
Liverpool’s interest is connected to a broader transition within their forward line.
The departure of Mohamed Salah left an enormous gap in both production and identity. Salah was not simply a right winger. He was Liverpool’s most reliable source of goals, a constant threat behind defensive lines and one of the defining players of the club’s modern era.
Replacing him directly with one player would be nearly impossible.
Liverpool are instead expected to redistribute attacking responsibility across several signings and existing squad members. They have already strengthened their options but may still want another forward capable of playing from the right while also contributing centrally.
Akliouche would not be a direct stylistic copy of Salah.
He does not currently possess the Egyptian’s scoring record or explosive movement behind the defence. His game is more creative and possession-oriented. He prefers to receive the ball to feet, combine with teammates and move into central areas from the wing.
That difference could still be valuable.
Liverpool’s next attacking structure does not need to recreate the previous one exactly. A new coaching approach may favour greater interchange, more central creativity and less dependence on a single goalscorer.
Akliouche could support that evolution.
Akliouche’s Tactical Profile
Akliouche is primarily a left-footed attacking midfielder who frequently begins on the right side.
From that position, he can move inward onto his stronger foot and operate between the opposition’s midfield and defensive lines. He is comfortable receiving in crowded areas and often attempts to progress attacks through quick combinations.
His close control is one of his most important qualities.
When defenders approach aggressively, Akliouche can shift the ball away from pressure and create a new passing angle. He does not always need open grass to influence a move, which makes him useful against opponents defending deeply.
He also possesses strong awareness.
Akliouche regularly looks for runners before receiving the ball, allowing him to play quickly rather than slowing the attack with unnecessary touches. He can provide through passes, clipped deliveries and short combinations around the penalty area.
His versatility increases his appeal.
In addition to playing from the right, he can operate as a number 10 or as an advanced midfielder in a three-man unit. That would allow Liverpool to adjust their shape without substituting him.
A manager could begin with Akliouche as a winger before moving him centrally during the match. He could also rotate positions with another forward, making the attack harder to predict.
He Is More Creator Than Traditional Winger
Akliouche should not be viewed as a winger whose main purpose is to remain near the touchline and repeatedly deliver crosses.
His instincts pull him toward central areas.
When starting on the right, he often moves into the half-space between the opposing left-back and central midfielder. That zone allows him to face goal, combine with the striker and use his left foot to play decisive passes.
This profile could complement an overlapping full-back.
If Liverpool’s right-back advances outside him, Akliouche can move inward without reducing the team’s width. The opposition must then decide whether to follow him centrally or allow him to receive in a dangerous area.
He could also work well beside a striker who makes intelligent runs.
Akliouche’s ability to delay a pass until the correct moment can release forwards beyond the defensive line. His creativity would be especially useful against compact teams that deny Liverpool space for direct attacks.
However, his preference for central movement means the team must maintain width elsewhere.
If both the winger and full-back move inside, Liverpool could become too narrow and easier to defend. His tactical fit would therefore depend on the structure around him.
His Rise Through Monaco’s Academy
Akliouche’s connection to Monaco strengthens the club’s negotiating position and explains why they value him so highly.
He joined Monaco’s academy in 2017 after earlier periods with Villemomble and Torcy. He progressed through the youth levels, represented the reserve side and made his first-team debut in 2021.
His role expanded gradually.
Rather than becoming an immediate automatic starter, Akliouche earned more opportunities as his tactical understanding and physical readiness improved. By the 2023/24 campaign, he had established himself as one of Monaco’s most exciting attacking players.
He scored seven league goals during that season and continued developing through subsequent domestic and European campaigns.
Current career records list him with more than 100 Ligue 1 appearances for Monaco, demonstrating that he is no longer an inexperienced prospect being valued purely on potential.
That experience matters to Liverpool.
A player moving to the Premier League must adapt to greater physical intensity and pressure, but Akliouche has already played regularly in a major European league and faced Champions League opposition.
He would still require time, but he would not arrive without a substantial senior foundation.
International Recognition With France
Akliouche’s progress also earned him recognition at international level.
He represented France in several youth categories and was part of the team that won a silver medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The tournament provided valuable experience in high-pressure knockout football and introduced him to a wider international audience.
He later made his senior France debut in 2025 and became increasingly involved in the national-team setup. Available records credit him with seven senior appearances and one goal by early 2026.
Breaking into the French squad is significant because competition for attacking positions is exceptionally strong.
France possess established forwards at many of Europe’s largest clubs. A player must demonstrate elite technical quality and tactical intelligence merely to earn consideration.
Akliouche’s international involvement reinforces the belief that he can compete at a higher club level.
However, he has not yet become a guaranteed starter for France. A move to Liverpool or PSG could strengthen his position if he performs regularly, but limited playing time could have the opposite effect.
Liverpool’s Potential Tactical Use
Akliouche could fit several systems at Liverpool.
In a 4-3-3, he could begin on the right and move inside while the full-back provides width. From there, he could combine with the central striker or create space for an attacking midfielder.
In a 4-2-3-1, he could operate as the number 10.
That role would place him closer to the areas where his vision and close control are most valuable. He could receive behind the opposing midfield and choose between shooting, passing wide or releasing the striker.
Liverpool could also use him as one of two advanced midfielders.
His technical quality would help the team retain possession, while his movement into the final third could create numerical advantages around the penalty area.
His defensive work would be tested in each position.
Premier League teams demand intense pressing and rapid recovery after losing possession. Akliouche has experience within organised systems, but Liverpool would need him to increase the consistency and aggression of his off-ball contribution.
Creative talent alone would not guarantee a starting position.
The Challenge of Replacing Salah’s Output
Any attacker joining Liverpool during this period will inevitably be discussed in relation to Salah.
That comparison may be unfair, particularly for Akliouche.
Salah developed into one of the most prolific wide forwards in football history. Akliouche is currently more of a creator than an elite scorer.
Liverpool should therefore avoid presenting him as a direct replacement.
His value would lie in helping construct a different attack. He could create opportunities for central forwards, combine with other technical players and improve Liverpool’s ability to control possession in advanced areas.
Goals would still need to come from elsewhere.
The striker, left winger and attacking midfielders would all have to assume greater responsibility. Akliouche himself would also need to improve his finishing and movement inside the penalty area.
A large fee would increase expectations.
Supporters may accept that his game differs from Salah’s, but they would still expect decisive contributions in major matches.
PSG Offer a Powerful Alternative
Liverpool’s greatest obstacle may not be Monaco’s asking price. It may be the player’s preference.
PSG can offer Akliouche the opportunity to remain in France, compete for domestic titles and join one of Europe’s strongest squads.
He would also work in a technical possession system surrounded by several France internationals.
For a player born near Paris, the personal attraction could be substantial.
Recent reports claim Akliouche favours a move to PSG despite Liverpool’s interest. That information remains unconfirmed, but it would give the French champions a major advantage if the clubs reach an agreement.
Liverpool can offer different benefits.
The Premier League provides greater global exposure, Anfield offers a highly demanding football environment and the departure of key attackers may create a clearer route to regular minutes.
Akliouche must decide whether he prefers familiarity and immediate trophy potential in Paris or the challenge of building a new career in England.
Monaco’s Valuation Is a Major Decision Point
The difference between €50 million and €70 million could determine Liverpool’s level of commitment.
At approximately €50 million, Akliouche could be viewed as a reasonably priced international attacker entering his prime years.
At €70 million, the risk becomes more significant.
Liverpool would be paying for expected development as well as current performance. The club would need to believe he can become a regular starter and major contributor rather than merely a useful squad option.
Monaco’s contract leverage supports their position, but Liverpool must maintain financial discipline.
The club cannot allow competition with PSG to push the fee beyond its internal valuation. Transfer decisions become dangerous when the motivation changes from signing the right player to defeating a rival bidder.
Akliouche’s quality is not in doubt. The question is whether his expected impact justifies the complete package, including wages, agent fees and performance bonuses.
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