Nicolas Pepe is one of the most sought after forwards during the current transfer window and it looks like Liverpool are making significant progress in signing him – as per reports.
Nicolas Pepe currently plays for Lille in the Ligue 1 and last season he bagged 23 goals and 12 assists in just 41 games across all competitions.
A number of top Premier League clubs have been linked with the Ivorian international for the past couple of months and recently Lille president Gérard Lopez had claimed that Nicolas Pepe will likely be moving out of the club after the Africa Cup of Nations.
“We don’t overestimate anything. We know what the offers are,” Lopez told L’Equipe, via MEN.
“I also wanted to close this situation before AFCON. At the request of his entourage, we have waited for a bit. And Nico told us that he wanted to concentrate on AFCON.
“He also wants to have discussions with the managers [interested in signing him]. I am not worried. We will look at the facts.
“His entourage has a preferred destination… Discussions are happening with prestigious clubs where he could be happy.
“Aside from that, everyone has the right to have preferences.”
Now that Ivory Coast’s participation in the AFCON is done, Liverpool have wasted no time in making contact with the representatives of Nicolas Pepe.
Lopez has provided a further update saying that the Anfield outfit have been in talks with the winger but they are yet to make any contact with the club.
The Lille head honcho told RMC Sport: “I know there have been discussions with the player, not with us as a club, Liverpool has players in those positions, and I read that maybe there were players who could leave, or not.
“I am not particularly focused on Liverpool. But it is true that there have been discussions with agents.”
Lille will be demanding somewhere around £70 million in exchange for Nicolas Pepe which obviously creates doubt amongst the pundits since Jurgen Klopp had categorically said that Liverpool are not expected to spend amounts this summer.
But then when a player like Nicolas Pepe becomes available, you have to take back some of your words and make a move.
