Nicolas Pepe could be heading to the Premier League and Liverpool after scoring 22 goals in Ligue 1 for Lille.
Liverpool have stepped up their pursuit of coveted Lille forward Nicolas Pepe and, according to L’Equipe, they are not far away at all from meeting his £70 million price-tag.
The Reds won a trophy for the first time under Jurgen Klopp last week when they lifted the Champions League in Madrid but don’t expect the Merseyside giants to rest on their laurels.
Liverpool want to establish themselves as a force in European football again and, to do that, they must improve a squad that is already amongst the very best on the continent.
And Pepe is one of the few players on the market who is capable of taking the six-time champions of Europe to another level. An Ivory Coast international blessed with rapid pace and remarkable finishing skills, Pepe scored 23 times as Lille finished second behind Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 last season.
The former Angers forward has been linked with some of the biggest clubs around, Inter Milan offering £62 million, but L’Equipe believes that Liverpool have sprinted to the front of the queue and are now closing in on a deal which would make Pepe their second most expensive signing ever.
It is reported that Pepe will cost £70 million, a fee that Liverpool are seemingly willing to pay.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
