Liverpool Miss Out on £42.8m Mohamed Salah Replacement as Five-Year Deal Confirmed

Liverpool Lose Out on Maghnes Akliouche Signing

Liverpool have reportedly lost the race to sign Maghnes Akliouche, who has agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain. The 24-year-old winger was seen as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah, with the Reds making an approach earlier in July.

Alongside Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur showed strong interest in the versatile attacker. Akliouche played for France during their run to the 2026 World Cup semi-finals, adding to his profile. Despite this, PSG stepped ahead and secured a deal with Monaco, where Akliouche is in the last two years of his contract with no signs of renewal.

Agreement Reached Between PSG and Monaco

After negotiations, PSG and Monaco agreed on a £42.8 million transfer fee. Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Akliouche has now given his approval to the move. He is set to sign a five-year contract with PSG, running until 2031, and will complete his medical soon.

Akliouche’s journey began at Monaco’s academy nine years ago after joining from Torcy. Since then, he has scored 23 goals and contributed 28 assists over 139 appearances in all competitions for Monaco. Last season alone, he was involved in 18 goals across 43 matches, scoring seven and assisting 11, earning attention from France's coach Didier Deschamps before the World Cup.

At the World Cup in North America, Akliouche played a minor role, coming off the bench for just seven minutes against Iraq and remaining unused in other games.

Impact on Liverpool and Bradley Barcola Pursuit

Missing out on Akliouche is a setback for Liverpool given his age and flexibility, but he was not the club’s primary target. His move to PSG might open doors for Liverpool in their efforts to sign Bradley Barcola, who faces more competition for playing time in Paris now.

Barcola reportedly prefers a switch to Liverpool despite links with Arsenal. Talks between Liverpool and PSG are expected to continue, although PSG’s valuation around £145 million may be unrealistic.

Still, Akliouche’s transfer might not influence Barcola’s future much, as Akliouche could replace Ibrahim Mbaye at PSG. Akliouche and Mbaye share similar positions, unlike Barcola, so this signing might not ease Liverpool’s path to acquiring Barcola.

• Player: Maghnes Akliouche
• Previous Club: Monaco
• New Club: Paris Saint-Germain
• Transfer Fee: £42.8 million
• Contract Length: Five years (until 2031)
• Monaco Appearances: 139 matches
• Goals for Monaco: 23
• Assists for Monaco: 28
• Goals and Assists Last Season: 7 goals, 11 assists in 43 games
• World Cup 2026 Role: Limited playtime, 7 minutes vs Iraq