Liverpool Complete €5 Million Signing of French Forward N'Guessan

Liverpool have completed the transfer of French forward Gyan N'Guessan for a fee of €5 million (approximately £4.3 million and $5.8 million). The 18-year-old has signed a pre-contract and will officially become a Liverpool player in January next year.

N'Guessan currently plays for Ligue 2 side Saint-Etienne and will spend the first half of this season on loan at Ligue 1 club Brest. In January, Liverpool can choose to recall him to the club, allow him to remain at Brest, or loan him to another team until the end of the season.

Why could he not be signed directly this summer?

Liverpool could not sign N'Guessan this summer and then loan him out themselves because they had already used all six international loan slots. By January, goalkeeper Fabian Mrozek's loan spell at FC Cincinnati will have ended, freeing up a loan slot. In addition, N'Guessan will then be eligible for a work permit to play in the UK.

N'Guessan is regarded as a promising attacking player who can operate both centrally and on the wing. Liverpool have followed him for some time, and he impressed at the 2025 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Albania, where he was named in the tournament's best XI.

Transfer driven by global talent director

The deal was driven by Liverpool global talent director Matt Newbury, who is responsible for deciding which overseas young players should become Anfield targets when they turn 18. Earlier this year, Liverpool's global talent department also helped complete the signings of Moer Tara Ndiaye, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Samuel Martinez. This week, 18-year-old goalkeeper Luca Brugmans also joined from Belgian club Gent for around €35 million.