Liverpool Reportedly Ready to Battle Tottenham for French Wonderkid

According to the rumour mongers, Liverpool have been tracking French wonderkid Moussa Dembele and are prepared to battle Tottenham for the 19-year-old’s signature this summer. However, both could be set to lose out on the striker’s signature if PSG come knocking.

The youngster has impressed this season in the Championship with Fulham, scoring 14 goals and adding five assists in 37 appearances for the struggling Cottagers. His club are a mere point from safety, but the young striker has certainly done his part, and is attracting a lot of interest.

In part that’s thanks to the fact his contract expires at the end of the season and he has so far refused to sign a new deal, seeing a chance for a move to the top flight in England—or to PSG in France—this summer. As such, whoever signs him will only pay training compensation.

Tottenham tried to make sure it would be them signing him when they offered Fulham £5M for the player in January, but that move fell through. By most accounts, Spurs remain interested, but now they will have more competition for Dembele’s services—which they were trying to avoid.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s interest, if true, would be a further sign that the club are planning to move on from Christian Benteke in the summer. If true, it would also suggest they are happy with some combination of Daniel Sturridge, Roberto Firmino, and Divock Origi as their main strikers.

Dembele is a top talent and has impressed with Fulham, but he would likely start out competing with Danny Ings for cup minutes. On the other hand, if Liverpool are genuinely interested, it would make little sense to bring him in only to then bury him with the signing of another top striker.

None of that will matter, though, if PSG come calling. Dembele left Paris four years ago, believing he wouldn’t get the chance to develop, but coming off a breakthrough season in the Championship he’s likely to take the chance to compete for minutes at his boyhood club if the chance is offered.

"Like every Parisian, I dream of playing for PSG," noted Dembele when asked about his future by L’Equipe. "I left when Ibrahimovic and Lavezzi joined the club. I would have gotten little playing time, [but] why could it not happen some day?"