Liverpool is eyeing a move for the 18-year-old Saint Etienne forward Djylian N'Guessan, but who is the teenage talent and why are the Reds keen to snap him up ahead of 2027?
France forward Djylian N'Guessan takes a penalty during the FIFA U20 World Cup.
France forward Djylian N'Guessan takes a penalty during the FIFA U20 World Cup.(Image: Javier TORRES / AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool is hopeful of completing a deal for the 18-year-old Saint Etienne forward Djylian N'Guessan, though a transfer agreement has not yet been fully reached.
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Should the deal happen as expected, N'Guessan would arrive at Anfield in the summer of 2027. But who is he, and why are the Reds keen to bring him in from the Ligue 2 side?
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N'Guessan made three appearances in the French second tier last term as Saint Etienne finished third. This year, it is at the top of the standings. Though N'Guessan is yet to feature, we are only three games in, and he should have a role to play.
According to Transfermarkt, N'Guessan has made 13 senior appearances for Saint Etienne in total so far, with several coming in the campaign before last.
In that time, he has scored one goal, but he is the second-youngest player to represent the French side.
The 18-year-old is a French U20 international who featured at the World Cup at that level for his country last year, reaching the semi-finals.
Previously, he got 12 goals in 14 games at U16 level and then 11 in 11 at U17 level, and has long been identified as a player to watch.
Djylian N'Guessan in action for France during a FIFA U20 World Cup game against Morocco in October 2025.
Djylian N'Guessan in action for France during a FIFA U20 World Cup game against Morocco in October 2025.(Image: Javier TORRES / AFP via Getty Images)
Standing at around 1.80 meters tall, N'Guessan is primarily a central striker. It was his birthday yesterday, so he has only just turned 18, and there remains plenty of development for him to do.
He is also the son of the ex-Leicester, Lincoln, and Millwall forward Dany N'Guessan.
And Lionel Rouxel, one of his former coaches, described him for The Guardian as part of its NextGen series.
There, he was labeled a mix between Liverpool and France star Hugo Ekitike and the Juventus forward Jonathan David β players who are skillful and good finishers, but who are also capable of dropping deeper to link play.
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"Heβs a player with two characteristics for the top level: he plays deep and moves quite well between the lines," Rouxel said. "Djylian is also a box player, who has progressed and is becoming a goalscorer."
In addition to playing through the center, N'Guessan is also capable of playing on both wings.
A similar arrangement to N'Guessan's move next year is being worked on for the Genk goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans. He is a very highly rated and technically proficient goalkeeper coming through the ranks in Belgium.