Liverpool and Manchester City are being linked with Napoli full-back Faouzi Ghoulam, who’ll be available for both of us to approach in less than three months’ time.
The Algerian left-back is not extending his current deal, which expires next summer, meaning we can approach him regarding a Bosman deal come January.
This means Ghoulam could arrive in time for the 2018/19 season without costing us a transfer fee.
“I don’t think Ghoulam will renew with Napoli, and it’s enough to think that in four months he’ll be able to sign for whoever he wants for nothing,” his agent Mario Giuffredi told Tuttomercato.
“He could earn €5m and if I were his agent I’d do that, and I don’t think the others are stupid. I don’t believe these stories that Ghoulam wants to renew, if he wanted to renew he’d already have done it.”
City’s interest in Ghoulam makes sense because of Benjamin Mendy’s nasty injury, but they realistically would want the flyer in the January window, before the Frenchman gets fit again.
But with Liverpool’s £10m summer signing Andrew Robertson unable to get in our match-day squad at the moment, we cannot imagine Jurgen Klopp is considering another left-back.
Robertson’s done well whenever he’s been selected, but the boss prefers Alberto Moreno as his starter, with utility man James Milner on the bench as backup.
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Ghoulam’s a really exciting attacking presence, but in many ways he’s similar to Moreno in that his much better in the opposition half.
We can’t see this one happening, even if the idea of capturing the 26-year-old on a free transfer seems sensible.