Liverpool has been handed a potential transfer boost, with a possible target confirming plans to move on - but Manchester United and PSG are on the scene as well
18:12, 11 Jun 2026
Maghnes Akliouche of Team France in action during the International Friendly match between France and Northern Ireland at Stade Pierre Mauroy on June 08, 2026 in Lille, France.
Ahead of the World Cup, a Liverpool-linked France international has suggested he will move on after the tournament. (Image: Xavier Laine/Getty Images)
The World Cup provides the perfect chance for exciting players to announce themselves to a global audience. But in an era of intense and data-backed scouting, while plenty of new stars will make an impression on the public psyche for the first time, just about everyone at the tournament will have been known to top recruitment departments for some while.
So while the tournament could increase the clamor for Liverpool to sign certain players (Yan Diomande looks like a prime candidate), most targets will have been set long in advance for Andoni Iraola. And while the tournament might delay transfer business for practical reasons, it's unlikely to drastically alter plans.
Maghnes Akliouche has already suggested that he plans to move on after the World Cup. Having been linked with Liverpool earlier in the summer, this proclamation might make fans pay closer attention to the Monaco star, but Richard Hughes will not be unduly swayed by events in the US.
In Akliouche's case, simply getting to the World Cup might be the thing that most catches the eye anyway. The versatile attacker has made the cut in a highly competitive France squad, which speaks volumes even if minutes prove hard to come by.
Yet he is hoping to do more than make up the numbers. And while top clubs have likely already decided one way or the other, he is aware of the chance to make an impression.
"Yes," he confirmed, when asked by Nice-Matin if leaving Monaco was the natural "next step" after the tournament. "But frankly, I'm really focused on this World Cup.
"I know anything can happen, even during the tournament. It's a great opportunity for exposure, but I'm staying focused on the national team's objectives."
France's forward #25 Maghnes Akliouche (C) fights for the ball with Ivory Coast's forward #11 Yan Diomande (L) and Ivory Coast's defender #03 Ghislain Konan (R) during the international friendly football match between France and Ivory Coast ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup football tournament at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, western France, on June 4, 2026.
Maghnes Akliouche played a part in both of France's pre-tournament friendlies. (Image: Loic VENANCE / AFP via Getty Images)
It's certainly true that anything can happen. A couple of injuries, or a maverick choice from the manager, could catapult Akliouche into the spotlight at one of the pre-tournament favorites, splashing his name into all of the transfer gossip columns in the process.
A host of clubs have already put themselves in the queue ahead of any potential US coming-of-age. Liverpool, Manchester City and PSG have all been credited with an interest, while Manchester United is now being mentioned too.
And interest in Akliouche is not exactly a masterclass in deep-dive scouting. Though he won't be on the radar of the average Reds supporter, the 24-year-old was a strong performer in Ligue 1 this season, scoring six and assisting seven in a struggling Monaco side.
Playing as a center-forward, he even found the net in the second leg of the Champions League knockout playoff against PSG, having assisted from the wing in the first leg. The eventual champions only narrowly squeezed past Monaco at this stage.
Maghnes Akliouche of AS Monaco celebrates goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco at Parc des Princes on February 25, 2026 in Paris, France.
Akliouche celebrates scoring against PSG in the Champions League knockout play-off second leg. (Image: Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
Akliouche has been a regular in the Principality for the past three seasons now, during which time all of the top sides will no doubt have been keeping tabs. And while his ascent has been a gradual progression rather than an explosion, a move after the World Cup seems like the logical next step.
Whether Liverpool is the right destination is another question. Akliouche has most frequently played off the right wing, where the Reds are in dire need of more support following the departure of Mohamed Salah, and his flexibility across various attacking roles would be particularly useful while Hugo Ekitike works his way back to fitness.
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On the other hand, it would represent a big step up. And albeit with a smaller sample size at the top level, Diomande does look as though he has the higher ceiling in that right wing berth.
The club will be weighing all of this up already, along with the mountains of data it undoubtedly has on Akliouche, going back to his days with the Monaco B side and beyond. But even if the classic "World Cup transfer" is no longer as much of a thing as it once was, there may well now be a few more Liverpool fans keeping a closer eye on the France team sheet to see if they can do a little scouting of their own.