Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing a prodigious who has recently represented his country at the Africa Cup of Nations.
According to Belgian outlet HLN, the Reds are battling with Atlético Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen in the race for Genk teenager Bilal El Khannouss, who has “convinced” Anfield scouts who saw him in action.
The Merseysiders are reported to have made enquiries about the 19-year-old, whose mother and agent Karima Ben Aissa told the same publication last week that the player’s side have been ‘in contact with a few clubs’ regarding possible transfer interest.
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Khannouss has participated so far in both of Morocco’s matches in the current AFCON, in addition to being a member of the team that thirteen months ago was the first African semi-finalist in the World Cup in Qatar (Transfermarkt).
The attacking midfielder has six goals in 20 league games for Genk, meaning he has already played 76 times for the first team this season four months before his 20th birthday (Transfermarkt).
He has been described as the club’s ‘golden boy’ via HLN, while its director of football, Dimitri de Condé, is keen to make it the most expensive sale in the history of Belgium’s top flight.
In fact, Khannouss look like a very promising talent, but he would be a long-term player rather than realistically fighting for a starting spot soon at Anfield.
Depending on how far Morocco progress at AFCON, Liverpool chiefs could get a stronger picture of how the 19-year-old fares at a high level on the international stage, which in turn should give them a clearer verdict as to whether or not a concrete transfer pursuit would be warranted.
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