Liverpool should keep an eye out for the next Kylian Mbappé coming through at AS Monaco to duplicate Fabinho’s transfer in order to fix Jürgen Klopp’s midfield depth.
For many years, Liverpool supporters harbored a not-so-secret fantasy. Despite years of avoiding the Reds’ grasp, there was a suspicion that one day, sooner or later, Kylian Mbappé would be leaning resplendent in the crimson red shirt at the AXA training site.
Liverpool has desired Mbappé’s arrival at Anfield since he was a teen. They got close a couple times while he was back at AS Monaco, but in the end there was no cigar.
The next year, when Mbappé appeared to be on the verge of leaving Paris Saint-Germain, speculations resurfaced. The French superstar ultimately signed a new long-term contract with PSG, dashing Liverpool’s chances of signing him in the near future.
Mbappé may be a thing of the past, but other AS Monaco academy prospects could still play a significant role in Liverpool’s future. The French football team’s academy continues to produce exceptional young football players.
Early in the season, we reported about Eliesse Ben Seghir, who could be a target for Liverpool, but he is not the only player in this category.
Edan Diop is the most recent AS Monaco academy product to breaк into the first team. Diop, unlike Ben Seghir, is eligible for both France and Senegal and is a talented midfielder who can also play on the flank. He has recently grabbed the interest of France’s U19 squad.
Four goals scored by Diop in six U19 Euro qualification matches were not enough for France to qualify for the tournament, as they were eliminated by Norway in a shocкing outcome, especially considering France’s recent dominance in junior football.
Yet, Diop isn’t simply drawing the interest at juvenile level. He recently debuted for AS Monaco in both the Europa League and Ligue 1 for the first time. Since then, he has made a couple of appearances for the first team, and this weekend against Strasbourg he scored his first professional goal with a well-timed finish in only his fourth game for the club.
The versatility of Diop, who can play in midfield and on the flanks as a full-back or winger, might not only provide Jürgen Klopp with much-needed depth in a difficult area, but he could also serve as a backup for Mohamed Salah or Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right flank.
Considering Liverpool’s defensive struggles in the midfield and at right-back, the fact that he is extremely effective defensively could be a huge asset. Diop has participated in 25 defensive duels and won 19 of them in three Ligue 1 games. He has also made 11 interceptions and 21 recoveries.
His contract expires in 2025, therefore Liverpool must move quickly to acquire him before Monaco can sign him to a new long-term deal. Monaco is obviously a breeding ground for rising French stars of promise.
Not only did Mbappé make his debut on the international scene there, but also Thierry Henry, Chelsea’s Benoit Badiashile, and Nice’s Khéphren Thuram, who just made his senior national team debut, began their careers there.
Liverpool would be wise to return to Monaco with a transfer offer for Diop for the first time since signing Fabinho from the French giants in 2018. Diop has plenty of recent precedents to follow, and Liverpool would be wise to return to Monaco with a transfer offer for the first time since signing Fabinho in 2018.
