Johan Bakayo Mo Salah Back up alternative Best skills, goal and Assists Liverpool ‘Want Wide Player’ as £54m Star ‘Scouted

Arne Slot is set to take over the Liverpool hot seat on June 1 and will likely oversee a flurry of activity at Anfield upon his arrival

Liverpool are interested in PSV winger Johan Bakayoko as they aim to bring in a wide player.

Bakayoko’s exceptional form had piqued interest from in-demand clubs.

Bakayoko could provide vital backup for Liverpool star Mohamed Salah on the right wing.

Arne Slot is set to get to work as Liverpool manager next weekend once he finds his way to the Anfield throne after the departure of Jurgen Klopp – and Ben Jacobs has exclusively told GIVEMESPORT that the Reds are in the hunt for PSV star Johan Bakayoko despite scouting him before Slot was announced, with the club in the market for a ‘wide player’.

Liverpool looked set to be locked in for the title race at the start of April with their 3-1 home win over Sheffield United putting them top of the Premier League, but a crumble in form saw them fade away with just two wins from their next seven league games – and with Klopp’s fairytale spell coming to an end, it’s now up to Slot to improve on that. The Dutchman will have his own transfer targets in mind as he aims to close the gap between the Reds and Manchester City but there is one target they could go for in Bakayoko.

Johan Bakayoko: Transfer News Latest

The forward is in hot demand around Europe

The winger was on the radar of Burnley and Brentford in the summer after a superb season for PSV in the Eredivisie, and despite the latter making a huge bid of £34million for his services, the Eindhoven-based club rejected the offer which allowed him to stay in the Netherlands for another year.

It has been a brilliant campaign for the Belgian, registering 14 goals in 46 games from out wide as he added an Eredivisie title to his ever-growing medal collection.

Johan Bakayoko’s Eredivisie statistics – PSV squad ranking

Stats

Output

Squad rank

Appearances

33

=2nd

Assists

9

=4th

Goals

12

2nd

Dribbles Per Game

2.8

1st

Match rating

7.68

3rd

But his form has seen the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain hold a firm interest in his services, and that will likely instigate a huge push for his signature from across the continent over the summer.

Liverpool have been linked with the star, who has been described as ‘fantastic’ by PSV boss Peter Bosz, and that has reportedly been a target validated by Slot, with a deal likely to take place after his involvement in EURO 2024 for Belgium.

Jacobs: Liverpool Have Done ‘Due Diligence’ on Bakayoko

The winger has been in fine form for PSV this season

Speaking exclusively to  Jacobs said that he doesn’t think Liverpool will change their expected targets drawn up before Slot’s arrival – and Bakayoko will fall under that bracket with the club having done their due diligence on the winger. He said:

“I don’t expect Liverpool to change many of their targets, which I would expect to have been in place before they actually finalised and subsequently announced Arne Slot’s appointment.

“But what we do know is that Liverpool want a wide player; whether you call that a winger, a creative-minded player, or a wide forward.

“And it is true that Bakayoko has been scouted, but that doesn’t mean a great deal in modern football. You scout hundreds of players, but he’s one that Liverpool have done their due diligence on.”

Liverpool Are in Need of a Right Wing Option