Liverpool blew their Premier League rivals out of the water with a near £450 million spend in the summer transfer window.
Alexander Isak signed for the Reds on deadline day, completing his British transfer record £125 million move from Newcastle United – the second time Liverpool exceeded £100m on a player.
The other player, of course, was Florian Wirtz, who arrived at Anfield in June as the Reds’ club-record signing from Bayer Leverkusen prior to the Swede joining.
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However, sources informed TBR Football in May that Liverpool would not pursue Kevin De Bruyne amid widespread reports that the Reds would look to acquire the Belgian upon the expiry of his contract at Manchester City.
Kevin De Bruyne of SSC Napoli during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Cagliari Calcio at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images
And now, De Bruyne has suggested that a long-term Liverpool transfer target has the potential to be better than Man City and Belgium star Jeremy Doku.
Malick Fofana can be a better player than Jeremy Doku
Recently, Malick Fofana admitted that he rejected Liverpool this summer, prioritising playing week in and week out at Lyon over a move to the Premier League.
Lyon has placed a £43m valuation on the forward, and after he replaced Doku in the 63rd minute for Belgium during the 6-0 win over Kazakhstan, De Bruyne shared his verdict on Fofana.
“If you look at how modern football is played, there are more man-to-man situations,” De Bruyne said to Het Nieuwsblad as relayed by Voetbal. “If you have players who can dribble past opponents or create space for others, then that’s only a good thing.
“It’s all the better for us that another youngster like Malick is joining us. A Doku type? Yes, they’re both wingers, quite small, quick. Of course, Jeremy has been with us for five or six years. He also plays for Man City, which—with all due respect—is a level above Lyon. Malick is younger and is still picking things up.”
Malick Fofana celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Round of 16 first leg Europa League game between FCSB and Olympique Lyonnais at Arena Nationala in Bucharest, Romania, on March 6, 2025
Photo by Alex Nicodim/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Sources informed TBR Football that Everton also wanted to sign Fofana this summer, but the Belgian rejected a move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The 20-year-old is directing his attention to the upcoming World Cup and believes remaining with Lyon gives him the best possible platform to ensure he is on the plane to North America in 2026.
And while Doku has impressed at Man City, he has failed to surpass three Premier League goals in both his seasons at the Etihad and has never surpassed a double-digit goal return across his entire career.
The same can be said for Fofana, albeit he is three years younger, and his tally of 10 goals and five assists across all competitions for Lyon last season is more than Doku has ever produced in a single campaign.
Liverpool could return for Malick Fofana in 2026
Liverpool added Hugo Ekitike and Isak to what will be a new-look frontline when Arne Slot takes his side to Burnley on Sunday.
Fofana, as talented a prospect as he is, would have likely only been a rotation option at Anfield this season and has ultimately made the right decision at this stage of his career.
Nevertheless, Fofana plans to join Liverpool and has named the Reds as his ideal destination, leaving the path free for the deal to reignite in 2026.
Of course, any plan to pursue Fofana will be somewhat dependent on Rio Ngumoha’s development this season, as he will deputise for Cody Gakpo on the left flank.