Liverpool are in “concrete discussions” with Lille over a move for Nicolas Pepe after his dazzling season at Lille, according to reliable French journalist Mohamed Bouhafsi.
The chief football editor for RMC Sport, speaking to Get French Football News, claims that the Reds are in talks over a potential £71.6million (€80million) switch for the 24-year-old Ivory Coast winger and that his club admit meetings have taken place, but that other Premier League sides could look to move in the coming days.
It is said that Jurgen Klopp adores what Pepe could bring to the Liverpool side with his pace and attacking quality, having scored 23 goals and contributed a further 12 assists across all competitions during the 2018/19 campaign, helping Lille to finish second in Ligue 1 and qualify for the Champions League, with 11-caps to his name for the Ivory Coast.
Opinion
No wonder Klopp likes the look of Pepe – his record speaks for itself. His season before last was also impressive in terms of his goal scoring exploits, with 14 goals in 38 appearances, proving he is no flash in the pan. Yes, the £71million-plus price is massive but for a player of his quality it could prove to be money well spent. Liverpool are lacking in terms of depth up front, with Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri the only proven performers behind Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino. Would Pepe be willing to sit on the bench and play second fiddle behind that trio? Perhaps not. Would any of those aforementioned stars be happy if they were dropped to the bench? Not in the slightest. This is the dilemma facing Klopp if he is to pursue any sort of big money signing this summer. Would Pepe be a quality arrival? The stats say so but there is so much more to consider than just his numbers.
