Liverpool FC Transfer News: Reds Chase Next Eden Hazard

With the international break done and proper football back on the docket, there's suddenly a lot less room for the kind of rumour mongering that helped to pass the time the last two weeks. Still, when it comes to linking players with unlikely moves, the tabloids never completely stop their churning.

This time out, it's a new name for Liverpool fans to get acquainted with. And, in a mild shocker, he's not even from Germany or a Barcelona outcast. This time, it's Sofiane Boufal, Lille's supposed next Eden Hazard and a 22-year-old French-Moroccan attacking midfielder who has been in impressive form this season.

Boufal has arrived on the scene a little later than the original Eden Hazard did. This young attacker has only been at Lille since January, scoring seven goals and six assists in 28 appearances, while Hazard was 21 when he earned his Chelsea move at a time when he had 50 goals in 194 appearances for the Ligue 1 side.

Before getting his move to Lille, he played for Angers, who were promoted to Ligue 1 for the first time in their history shortly after he left. He can play across the attacking support band, though he has mostly taken on a central role for Lille—this despite his pace and dribbling skill making him seem an ideal wing talent.

That Liverpool are interested in him is an idea primarily being pushed by France Football, who believe he is also being watched closely by Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain. The suggestion is that Liverpool's dealings with Lille in the case of Divock Origi give the Reds a solid advantage in the chase for Boufal.

The comparisons to Hazard may be a touch much, but if Boufal continues to impress for Lille it is inevitable that some of Europe's richer clubs will come sniffing around. He doesn't seem the sort of player who would be a priority January target for the Reds, though, who are in obvious need of help at other positions.