Liverpool have now entered the race to sign Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who could join with Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola.

The Reds are now ready to make an opening bid for Barcola, with an £80m offer in the works. However, it remains to be seen whether a fee in that ballpark will tempt PSG into a sale, considering the French side value their winger at £145m.

Still, with the France star keen on a move to Anfield, there are encouraging signs a move to Anfield may still be possible, where he could be joined by fellow Ligue 1 star Fernandez-Pardo, who impressed for Lille last season.

The 21-year-old, who is primarily a centre-forward, made 29 appearances in Ligue 1 last term, picking up eight goals and five assists, and Como scout Ben Mattinson is a keen admirer, saying in January 2025: "Need to see more but there’s a lot to like, I can see him exploding in a season or 2. Good ability to create separation quickly, direct forward. I think his profile would be optimised as a left inside-forward.

"Composed finisher in front of goal but often is positioned much deeper. Platform his profile by positioning him higher and more central than his shot volume should drastically increase (way too low this season), and subsequently his G/A too."

With the Belgian capable of playing on the left or through the middle, he would be a versatile option for Andoni Iraola, who may need to sign a new striker, given that Hugo Ekitike ruptured his ACL back in April.

Liverpool enter the race to sign Matias Fernandez-Pardo

According to Sacha Tavolieri, who works for Sky Sports in Belgium, Liverpool have now entered contention to sign Fernandez-Pardo, alongside Chelsea and Atletico Madrid.

L'Equipe journalist Loic Tanzi has since offered a further update, stating the five-cap Belgium international has "asked to leave" Lille.

However, the French side are hoping to hold out for £52m, which means a relatively large outlay will be needed to get a deal over the line.

Ekitike isn't expected to feature for the remainder of 2026 after rupturing his ACL, and given the nature of the injury, it may take some time for the Frenchman to get back up to speed.

As such, signing a new striker would make sense, and Ekitike and Fernandez-Pardo were fairly well-matched last season.

Should Liverpool want to sign a forward who has already proven himself in the Premier League, they could turn their attentions to AFC Bournemouth star Rayan.

The Reds are now exploring a move for the Barcola and Yan Diomande alternative, who scored five goals in 15 Premier League games for the Cherries last season.