Confirmed: Liverpool in talks with Pepe

Champions League winner FC Liverpool is clearly working on the engagement of Nicolas Pepe from OSC Lille. French President Gerard Lopez confirms that the Reds have already made contact with the wing forward’s advisers.

“I know there have been talks with the player, but not with us as the club,” Lopez told RMC Sport. “I’m not focusing solely on Liverpool, but it’s correct that there have been discussions with his advisers.”

The winger would have been in high-calibre competition at the Reds with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Xherdan Shaqiri, but Lille’s president doesn’t rule out one of the stars leaving Anfield Road: “Liverpool have strong players in this position, but I’ve read that there are players who could still leave the club.

In the past months there have been rumours about Pepe, who caused a stir with 22 goals in the last Ligue 1 season. FC Bayern and Arsenal have also been associated several times with the 24-year-old, who will remain in Lille until 2022.

Although according to Lopez two offers for Pepe have already been received before the Africa Cup, the Ivorian will only decide on his future after the tournament. “We agreed to this,” the president makes clear. “It’s complicated to play a tournament like this when you have something else on your mind. It’s a big career step for him, and he has to think about it.”