RIERA URGES FORMER CLUB TO SIGN MONACO MIDFIELD SENSATION

Aurelien Tchouameni is keeping his cards close to his chest as the saga surrounding his immediate future continues to rumble on. The Monaco midfielder has emerged as one of the standout players in European football, with the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain all vying for his signature. Tchouameni was recently named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season but Monaco look set to cash in with a price tag of more than £65million on his head.

However, as of Thursday no official agreement has been reached between the two clubs with RMC Sport claiming Monaco could yet ask for more than the €80m (£67m) than had previously been quoted. That ensures Liverpool remain in the race and Tchouameni, when asked about joining one of the Champions League finalists, answered diplomatically and refused to burn any bridges.

Tchouameni has already moved from Bordeaux to Monaco during his fledgling career, admitting that the idea of following in the footsteps of someone like Mbappe, was an appealing prospect to him. Liverpool made an unusually big splash in the January window, signing Luis Diaz from Porto for £50m, with focus currently on whether Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah will agree to terms on extended deals.

But there is a feeling that refreshing his options in midfield is an appealing one to Klopp, especially with reports that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been put up for sale during the upcoming window. Former Liverpool star Albert Riera has urged his former side to make a move for the midfielder, insisting that he would be a good addition to the Reds squad.