Liverpool have confirmed the signing of French forward Djylian N’Guessan from Saint-Étienne, who will officially join the Reds in January.
The 18-year-old will spend the 2026/27 season on loan at Ligue 1 outfit Stade Brestois before moving to Merseyside in another deal to future-proof Liverpool for the Andoni Iraola era.
We have agreed a deal to sign Djylian N'Guessan from Saint-Etienne, with the French forward set to officially join the club on a permanent transfer in January ?
The 18-year-old will now spend the rest of the 2026-27 season on loan at Ligue 1 side Stade Brestois ?? pic.twitter.com/MoXVl2oCxb
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 4, 2026
Liverpool have made a lot of signings recently with the future in mind, signing Giovanni Leoni from Torino last summer, Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes and now N’Guessan from Saint-Étienne.
Reporting on X, The Athletic journalist James Pearce reports that Liverpool will pay a guaranteed €5m fee, while the deal also includes a sell-on clause to provide Saint-Étienne with extra value down the line should he part ways with the Reds at some point.
A pre-contract is in place to secure the deal, but N’Guessan will only sign an official contract with Liverpool in January.
With 13 appearances and one goal, N’Guessan is a product of the Saint-Étienne academy and is most comfortable at centre-forward. However, like many attackers in the modern era, he is comfortable across the front line.
The teenager is regarded as one of the most exciting French talents emerging in the last year. He has represented France at U16 level and is now part of the U20 setup, making seven appearances.
Liverpool announce deal for young striker Djylian N'Guessan from St Etienne. Guaranteed fee €5m plus sell-on clause. France U20s international spending first half of this season on loan at Brest. Pre-contract agreement in place for him to officially become LFC player in January
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) September 4, 2026
Liverpool have invested heavily in French talent recently. From Ibrahima Konate and Hugo Ekitike to Jeremy Jacquet and Bradley Barcola, the increase in French representation at Anfield is a direct reflection of France’s status as a powerhouse in football.
At Liverpool, N’Guessan will receive elite development in line with the club’s reputation for being one of the best in the world at nurtuting young talents.
Rio Ngumoha will provide the 18-year-old centre-forward with hope that he can make a name for himself at Anfield if he can continue his development, with the Liverpool forward becoming a regular for the Reds over the last year.
The arrival of Andoni Iraola will also be an encouragement, given how the Spanish coach developed the likes of Eli Junior Kroupi and Rayan during his time at Bournemouth. His ability to develop young players is a major factor in motivating FSG to pick him as Arne Slot’s successor.