rewrite this title Liverpool in race to sign “outrageous” £25m gem who’s “comparable” to Messi

Liverpool are now in a race to sign an “outrageous” attacker, who has been compared to Lionel Messi, but there could be fierce competition from a number of their Premier League rivals, according to a report.

Reds eyeing forwards amid doubts over Salah and Nunez

Mohamed Salah is still yet to commit to a new contract to remain at Anfield, while there is major doubt over Darwin Nunez’s future on Merseyside, with the Reds now happy to sanction the Uruguayan’s departure in the summer transfer window.

Nunez has been very disappointing this season, netting just seven goals in all competitions, and Nottingham Forest are believed to have made a £50m bid.

As such, the Reds have started looking at new forwards, and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha is the latest striker to be linked with a move, with contact being made to gauge whether the Brazilian would be interested in heading to Anfield.

Arne Slot’s side have also approached Brighton & Hove Albion over Joao Pedro, who is viewed as a like-for-like replacement for Nunez, while Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, who is able to play on both wings and at centre-forward, is another option for the Merseysiders.

It would be very difficult for any new signing to replicate Salah’s numbers, but Liverpool have now set their sights on another player who has been in incredible form, with a report from The Boot Room revealing they are interested in Lyon’s Rayan Cherki.

Cherki has really kicked on this season, quashing previous concerns that he did not have the correct attitude to make it to the very top, and he has struck an agreement with Lyon to leave for less than £25m this summer.

Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in the forward, while there are a whole host of other potential suitors from the Premier League, namely Manchester United, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.

“Outrageous” Cherki impressing in France and Europe

It is little wonder the Frenchman is starting to attract attention from a number of Europe’s top clubs, given that he has been in fantastic form for Lyon this season, amassing eight goals and 18 assists in all competitions.

Eight of those assists have been in the Europa League, with the 21-year-old leading his side’s charge to the quarter-finals, and journalist Dean Jones has lauded his skill level as “outrageous”.

Not only that, but former Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has compared the playmaker to one of the best players of all-time, saying: “Cherki is comparable to (Lionel) Messi in terms of technical quality.”

As such, £25m could be a bargain price for Cherki, whose performances this season indicate he has developed considerably this season, and at just 21-years-old, he may still be some way off his prime.