Liverpool signs Djylian N’Guessan for 2027

Liverpool have taken another swing at the future, and Fabrizio Romano has already delivered the three words that matter most in modern transfer talk: “here we go.”

The Premier League side have reached an agreement to sign Saint-Etienne forward Djylian N’Guessan, with the 18-year-old French striker set to arrive at Anfield in the summer of 2027. He will stay one more season in France before making the jump to England, a move that fits perfectly with Liverpool’s long-term recruitment strategy.

This deal drops into a window already crackling with tension on Merseyside. Bradley Barcola is expected to join from Paris Saint-Germain after completing his medical on Sunday, and Liverpool are still working frantically before the deadline. The next few hours could reshape their attack for years.

Because while one teenager is being lined up for the future, a major name could be heading out.

N’Guessan sealed as Liverpool plan ahead

The first signs of movement came from Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, who revealed on X that negotiations between AS Saint-Etienne and Liverpool for N’Guessan were at an advanced stage, with only “last details to settle.” He later reported that Saint-Etienne had made no secret of their willingness to sell their young star, whose contract runs until 2027, and that talks with Liverpool were moving quickly.

Inside the club, N’Guessan is viewed as a significant prospect. Able to play on either wing or through the middle, he offers versatility and upside, exactly the profile Liverpool have repeatedly targeted under their current recruitment model.

Romano then moved the story from hot to done. Posting on X, he confirmed that Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign N’Guessan from Saint-Etienne, with the 18-year-old to join in summer 2027. The player side is complete, Liverpool have received authorization for a medical, and the transfer is locked in. Romano also noted that the move “follows Lucca Brughmans deal as another one for future,” underlining the club’s determination to stockpile talent early.

Liverpool are not just shopping for tomorrow, though. The present is just as volatile.

Gakpo, City and the Sarr domino

Behind the scenes, Cody Gakpo’s future hangs on a single condition.

Romano revealed on his YouTube channel that Gakpo has already agreed personal terms with Manchester City. The contract is set, and City have sent an £85m bid to Liverpool. The decision now rests with the Anfield hierarchy.

Liverpool’s stance is clear: they will only accept that offer if they secure a right winger before the deadline. No replacement, no sale. If they fail to land the right profile, Gakpo stays.

That has pushed one name to the front of the queue.

Ismaila Sarr, currently at Crystal Palace, is now regarded as Liverpool’s preferred option on the wing, ahead of Yankuba Minteh. Romano described Sarr as “the favourite candidate,” but the deal is anything but straightforward.

Crystal Palace, for now, are resisting. The London club are still saying no to Sarr’s exit, even as they quietly explore potential replacements in case the right proposal lands on their desk. Liverpool have already tested their resolve.

Earlier this week, the Reds sent a formal bid: £45m plus £5m in add-ons, a £50m package in total. Palace rejected it. There had been no noise in the media about Sarr to Liverpool before that, but Romano insists the offer was very real and very official, and that it was turned down.

Sarr, though, wants the move. He wants Liverpool. The winger’s stance adds another layer of pressure to talks between the clubs as the clock ticks down.

Around all this, Liverpool are being flooded with options. Agents and clubs know they need a winger, and, as Romano put it, they are being “offered wingers every minute.” Somewhere inside that chaos lies the decision that will determine whether Gakpo walks through the door to Manchester City and whether Liverpool’s attack goes into the new season with a fresh look or a familiar face.

N’Guessan is already locked in for 2027. The real question is what Liverpool’s front line will look like by the time he finally walks into Melwood.