Liverpool transfer news: Reds miss out on £42.8m Mo Salah replacement as five-year deal 'agreed'

Liverpool have reportedly conceded defeat in the race to sign Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche, who has agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain.

The 24-year-old was understood to have been identified as a possible Mohamed Salah replacement by Liverpool, who made an approach for Akliouche earlier in July.

Tottenham Hotspur were also credited with a serious interest in the versatile attacker, who was a part of the France squad that reached the 2026 World Cup semi-finals.

However, PSG muscled their way to the front of the queue for Akliouche, who entered the last two years of his Monaco contract earlier this year, with no sign of an extension in sight.

Now, Fabrizio Romano claims that an agreement between PSG and Akliouche is now in place, a couple of days after the two clubs shook hands on a £42.8m fee.

Liverpool-linked Maghnes Akliouche 'agrees' PSG move

Following the breakthrough between PSG and Monaco, the European champions were still waiting for Akliouche to give the final green light to a deal, but Romano reports that he has now approved the move.

Akliouche will sign a five-year contract with Les Parisiens until 2031, and he is scheduled to undergo his medical with Luis Enrique's side next week.

The 24-year-old will leave Monaco nine years after joining the Monegasque academy from Torcy, since when he has produced 23 goals and 28 assists in 139 matches for the Ligue 1 giants in all tournaments.

Akliouche had a direct hand in 18 goals in 43 matches last season - seven of his own and 11 assists - form that caught the eye of Bleus boss Didier Deschamps before the 2026 World Cup.

However, the winger only played a peripheral role in North America, being an unused substitute in all but one of France's World Cup games and earning just seven minutes off the bench against Iraq on his sole appearance.

Could Maghnes Akliouche PSG move aid Liverpool's Bradley Barcola pursuit?

Liverpool missing out on Akliouche is a moderate blow, given the 24-year-old's age, adaptability and comfort on the right-hand side, but he was never thought to be the Reds' prime target.

Instead, Akliouche's PSG move could be the catalyst needed for Liverpool to complete the signing of Bradley Barcola, who now has even more competition for starts in the French capital.

Barcola is believed to favour a move to Liverpool despite links with Arsenal, and the Reds are expected to continue talks with PSG - whose reported £145m valuation is not thought to be realistic - over the weekend.

However, Akliouche's transfer could ultimately have no bearing on Barcola's future, as the Monaco man may be seen as the successor to Ibrahim Mbaye, who has also been heavily linked with a move away from Paris.

Mbaye and Akliouche are also more positionally similar than Barcola and Akliouche, whose PSG switch may therefore not be a silver lining after all.