Liverpool and Chelsea are set to battle it out for the services of 24-year-old AS Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana.
According to a report by the Daily Star, Chelsea and Liverpool are both interested in Youssouf Fofana. The 24-year-old has been doing great in the ongoing season. And, his performances have not gone unnoticed. There are quite a few clubs that would love to have him in their ranks.
Fofana has come through the ranks at RC Strasbourg before joining AS Monaco back in the winter of 2020. The 24-year-old has gone from strength to strength over the last few seasons. He has featured in a total of 136 matches for the French club and also has 14 goal contributions.
As far as the ongoing season is concerned, the French international has been involved in 43 matches and has four goal contributions. He has been improving with every passing day. And, quite a few clubs are ready to prise him away from France.
While his contract at AS Monaco runs until the summer of 2024, the club do have the option to extend it by another 12 months. The French outfit are keen on having him for another season. However, they might consider letting him leave for a fee of around £25 million.
His price could increase further with a bidding war likely to take place for his services. Both, Chelsea and Liverpool are keen on having him in their ranks. The Merseyside club have struggled in the ongoing season, and the majority of it has been because of an inconsistent midfield. And, with a few of their midfielders likely to leave the club in the summer. Their major focus is to sign multiple players that could bolster their midfield.
While their priority was to sign Jude Bellingham, they might be forced to shift their attention elsewhere because of his price tag. Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister is on their radar. Even if Liverpool do sign Mac Allister, they could still push for another midfielder, someone who is a bit more defensive-minded and the 24-year-old seems to fit the bill.
Meanwhile, the Blues are also in the race for Fofana. They are looking for a long-term replacement for N’Golo Kante. While the French World Cup winner is likely to extend his stay at the club, frequent injuries to him have made it difficult for the Blues in the recent past and they want to have a cover for Kante.
Fofana seems to have excellent defensive awareness and he could surely be a great addition to the Chelsea midfield. Both Chelsea and Liverpool consider him to be a cheaper alternative to Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo. Either of them could easily cost around £100 million. As a result, they would prefer going for the AS Monaco midfielder. So, we might be in for an intense bidding war.
