Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign 18-year-old forward Djylian N’Guessan from Ligue 2 side Saint-Étienne.
The Anfield outfit are expected to be busy in the final stages of the transfer window, with Bradley Barcola set to arrive from PSG and an additional winger required if Cody Gakpo leaves, with the Dutchman reportedly agreeing to join Manchester City.
Saint-Etienne have reportedly been open to selling N’Guessan this summer, largely because his contract at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard runs out in 2027, limiting the club’s leverage the longer they wait.
Foot Mercato revealed on Monday morning the Reds were in advanced discussions with the French side over a move for the teenage forward, and Fabrizio Romano has now added his iconic ‘here we go’ to the deal.
“Liverpool agree deal to sign Djylian N’Guessan from Saint Etienne, here we go!
“18 year old French striker joins in summer 2027, done also player side as LFC got the authorization for medical.”
Liverpool view the youngster as a exciting long-term prospect rather than an immediate first-team option, so they may yet dip into the market for a more established Gakpo replacement as well, such as Crystal Palace star Ismaila Sarr or Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh.
Who is Djylian N’Guessan?
N’Guessan is an 18-year-old forward who has never played senior football away from Saint-Étienne, having joined the club’s youth setup a decade ago. Now a first-team player, he’s capable of leading the line as a out-and-out striker or drifting wide to either flank.
His path to the senior side moved quickly. After putting pen to paper on his first pro deal in late 2024, he was thrown into Ligue 1 action just weeks later, appearing from the bench against Reims as a 16-year-old before a first start arrived against Nantes soon after.
He’s since progressed through every age group for France, turning out for the U16s, U17s and U20s. Those who have watched him closely point to a player who competes well physically for his age, particularly in the air and in one-on-one battles, and who shows a knack for pulling out of the front line to link the play.
The trade-off, according to those assessments, is a tendency to fade physically and lose focus as matches wear on – fairly typical growing pains for a teenager still developing into senior football.
Team | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
AS Saint-Étienne | 13 | 1 |
France U20 | 7 | 0 |
France U17 | 11 | 11 |
France U16 | 14 | 12 |
Who else are Liverpool signing?
N’Guessan wouldn’t be the only youngster arriving at Anfield this window. Liverpool are also closing in on a deal for 18-year-old goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from Belgian side Genk, with a fee of around £30m said to be agreed.
The towering shot-stopper, viewed as a long-term successor to Alisson, is expected to spend this season on loan back at Genk before officially joining in 2027. Giorgi Mamardashvili could meanwhile head out the exit door to join Nottingham Forest.
