Liverpool transfer news: Andoni Iraola now 'closely monitoring' bargain Yan Diomande alternative

Liverpool whitethorn look to person missed retired connected Yan Diomande to Paris Saint-Germain, but the Reds are already assessing alternate options arsenic they proceed their hunt for Mohamed Salah's semipermanent successor.

Andoni Iraola is expected to fortify his attacking options this summer, with respective young wide players nether information arsenic the nine reshapes its guardant line.

And Said El Mala has present emerged arsenic a superior subordinate to ticker successful the coming weeks.

Liverpool show Said El Mala up of imaginable summertime swoop

According to reports, Liverpool are intimately monitoring the FC Koln winger but are yet to determine whether to prosecute a woody this summertime oregon hold different twelvemonth earlier making their move.

The 19-year-old enjoyed an outstanding breakthrough run successful the Bundesliga, registering 13 goals and 4 assists successful conscionable 34 appearances contempt starting lone 20 matches.

Liverpool's admiration is said to beryllium genuine, though sources suggest the nine presently views El Mala arsenic much of a semipermanent task than an contiguous solution.

One anticipation could beryllium a woody akin to the 1 Liverpool agreed for Giorgi Mamardashvili, allowing the subordinate to proceed his improvement earlier making the power to Anfield.

For now, though, thing factual has been discussed with the German side, with the Reds prioritising the signing of an attacker susceptible of making an contiguous interaction aft Mohamed Salah's departure.

Is Said El Mala a bargain alternate to Yan Diomande?

While Diomande's valuation has soared beyond the £100 cardinal people pursuing his World Cup exploits, El Mala would outgo lone a fraction of that (around £42 million) contempt producing awesome numbers successful the Bundesliga himself.

His instrumentality of 17 extremity contributions is not acold down Diomande's output of 20, peculiarly erstwhile considering helium achieved it contempt making importantly less starts and playing for a little ascendant side. That underlines conscionable however businesslike and productive helium has already go astatine 19 years old.

There is, however, an important distinction. Diomande looks acceptable to go the focal constituent of an elite onslaught immediately, whereas El Mala is inactive viewed arsenic a subordinate with tremendous upside alternatively than the finished article. Koln caput manager Lukas Kwasniok's content that the youngster is destined to bid "an unthinkable fee" 1 time lone reinforces that potential.

For Liverpool, the perfect script whitethorn beryllium to motion some a proven winger susceptible of replacing Salah's output now, specified arsenic a Bradley Barcola, and a high-ceiling endowment similar El Mala for the future.

If Barcola proves unattainable, however, don't beryllium amazed if Liverpool accelerate their involvement successful 1 of Germany's brightest young forwards sooner than planned.