Latest Liverpool transfer news and gossip around Rayan Cherki, who has been intensely linked with the Reds as Lyon enter fresh turmoil
Rayan Cherki’s future has become a hot topic in recent days with Lyon in hot water and Liverpool being touted as one possible destination. Those rumours have now intensified with word of contact being made emerging from France.
Arne Slot got his Liverpool transfer record off to a slow start with £12.5m and £29m spent on Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili respectively. Now the boss, sporting director Richard Hughes and his recruitment team will be devising their next clever pieces of business to ensure the Reds maintain their place at the top of the table.
One possibility that has arisen is the arrival of Lyon ace Cherki. The 21-year-old has been linked with an Anfield transfer on the back of an impressive record in Ligue 1, and now threat of relegation at the hands of French authorities has left his club with no choice but to rapidly produce revenue.
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With that in mind, the ECHO takes a look at some of the latest Liverpool transfer news and gossip that have swirled over the last 24 hours.
First up, club chiefs have definitively sounded out Cherki as a player they want to recruit. That is according to Fabrice Hawkins, who for RMC Sport writes they hope to get this transfer done in ‘the short to medium term’.
Apparently both those behind the scenes and Slot are in agreement about the player’s current credentials and potential. His five goal contributions in 11 appearances to start the season have caused them to ‘intensify their contact’ in recent weeks.
However, there seems to be some dispute over the fee Cherki would command if Liverpool get that far in negotiations. Foot Mercato claim Les Gones have set their minimum price at €30m (£24.9m) but would hope to land closer to the upper end of their range, which is €35m (£29.1m).
Hawkins’ report disputes this as he states a lower offer could ‘satisfy’ Lyon, who last summer would have demanded €20m (£16.6m). Ultimately, the asking price remains to be seen as the club becomes increasingly desperate to raise the £91m revenue needed to escape their punishments.
“We lost €15m from his sale last summer… but his value is now way higher,” Lyon president John Textor has recently stated. “He should stay in January but it’s up to Rayan, he decides what he wants to do.”
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