Liverpool are still in the race to sign Monaco starlet Aurelien Tchouameni this summer, according to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The Lowdown: Three-way fight for Tchouameni
It looks almost certain that the 22-year-old will leave his current club this summer in order to kick on and reach the next stage of his blossoming career.
Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid look like the leading candidates to secure Tchouameni's services, although the latter appear to have surged into pole position recently.
The Frenchman has enjoyed a magnificent season for Monaco, making 33 starts in Ligue 1, in which he averaged 2.5 tackles and 2.9 interceptions per game.
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The Latest: Romano provides Tchouameni update
Taking to Twitter on Monday morning, Romano gave a fresh update on the situation, suggesting that Liverpool are still very much in the mix. The reporter outlined:
"Key week ahead for Aurelien Tchouameni deal. Real Madrid had new contacts with club and player side during the weekend, before and after the Champions League final.
"Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are still on it - Real are in now in direct talks with Monaco."
The Verdict: Ideal transfer target
It may be that Real Madrid end up signing Tchouameni ahead of Liverpool but he still has to be the Reds' top summer transfer target, given his vast potential, having been described as the 'best' midfielder in Ligue 1 by his manager Niko Kovac.
Midfield is an area which needs to be improved upon at Anfield this summer, with some players ageing (Thiago, James Milner, Jordan Henderson), others still maturing (Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones) and the likes of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain not up to the required standard.
Tchouameni could be a game-changing addition in the middle of the park, possessing the physical and technical attributes to excel in a Jurgen Klopp team, not to mention being able to thrive as both a defensive and central midfielder.
In other news, one Spanish source has dropped a key Liverpool claim. Read more here.