Liverpool have agreed a €5 million (£4.3m; $5.8m) deal to sign 18-year-old French striker Djylian N’Guessan from Saint-Etienne, according to reports from The Athletic. N’Guessan has signed a pre-contract agreement to officially move to Anfield in January, while spending the first half of the season on loan at Brest in Ligue 1.
Navigating Squad Constraints and Loan Logistics
Liverpool could not finalize the signing this summer and immediately loan the player out because the club had already exhausted its strict cap of six international loans. By January, however, goalkeeper Fabian Mrozek’s loan spell at FC Cincinnati will reach its conclusion, freeing up the necessary administrative slot within the system.
According to The Athletic, N’Guessan will also secure a work permit to play in the UK by January. This timing provides a clear pathway for his arrival in English football, though Liverpool retains the flexibility in January to either integrate him directly into the squad, leave him at Brest, or redirect him to another temporary destination for the remainder of the campaign.
Scouting Pedigree and Global Talent Operations
The acquisition was spearheaded by Liverpool’s global talent team, led by Matt Newberry. This department focuses on identifying and securing top overseas talent ahead of their eighteenth birthdays. N’Guessan first drew intense international scrutiny during the 2025 UEFA Under-17 Championship in Albania, where his performances for France earned him a spot in the official team of the tournament.
Operating primarily through the middle or out wide in attacking positions, N’Guessan represents a specific developmental profile targeted by the club’s recruitment architects. His signing follows a series of strategic youth acquisitions orchestrated by Newberry’s department earlier in the year, including Mor Talla Ndiaye from Amitie FC, Ifeanyi Ndukwe from Austria Vienna, and Samuel Martinez from Colombian side Atletico Nacional. Concurrently, the club also secured 18-year-old goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from Belgian side Genk in a separate deal valued at approximately €35m.
Market Realities and Next Steps
With the pre-contract agreement now secured, N’Guessan’s immediate focus shifts to gaining top-flight competitive experience in Ligue 1 with Brest.
