Nicolas Pepe was in Africa Cup of Nations action on Monday.
The Africa Cup of Nations is underway, and one of the tournament favourites got off to a winning start as Ivory Coast beat South Africa on Monday.
Many were left stunned when the teams were announced as Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha was left out of the starting line-up by Ibrahim Kamara.
His side toiled away looking for the opening goal, and it finally came in the second half when Aston Villa striker Jonathan Kodjia struck Ivory Coast in front.
That’s how it finished as Ivory Coast claimed all three points, and it seems that Liverpool fans were paying close attention to the game.
Eyes were focused on Lille forward Nicolas Pepe as he started for Ivory Coast, and he went close to scoring as he rattled the crossbar with a superb first half free kick.
Pepe continued to impress during the game, which is no great surprise after his stunning season with Lille, in which he scored 23 goals and notched 12 assists.
That form has put him on the radar of a host of clubs, with L’Equipe noting over the weekend that Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Liverpool are all keen, with Jurgen Klopp allegedly a huge fan of the winger.
It would take a huge fee to get Pepe out of Lille, but some Liverpool fans just want Klopp to get a deal done, urging him to pay whatever it takes after seeing him shine for his country on Monday.
Others admitted they’re desperate to see Pepe in a Liverpool shirt at Anfield, with one fan even feeling that he’s a mix of current Reds star Sadio Mane and Barcelona ace Ousmane Dembele, which would be a devastating addition to the already-terrifying Liverpool attack.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
