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What's the story?
According to reports from the Liverpool Echo, Liverpool are eyeing a move for 22-year-old Nigerian International Moses Simon.
Simon plays for K.A.A. Gent in the Belgian First Division A and a move for the winger will cost Liverpool around £10m.
In case you didn't know...
The Nigerian has less only one year left on his current contract and the Reds are reportedly keen on wrapping up a deal for the player who will cost around £10m in this transfer market.
Simon was named in Nigeria's provisional squad for the FIFA World Cup but he was omitted from the final squad after failing to recover from a hip injury. This opens up a possibility of wrapping up a potential deal for the player immediately.
According to Liverpool Echo, the player has been heavily scouted by the club.
Also read: Reports: Liverpool midfielder agrees to a four-year deal with Juventus
The heart of the matter
Simon is a pacey winger and at the age of 22, he will be seen as a backup for Liverpool's current wide men Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
The need for another quick winger was highlighted during the UEFA Champions League final when Mohamed Salah had to be taken off due to an injury early in the game.
Despite his young age, Simon has already played 175 games at the club level scoring 38 goals and also has 20 caps at the international level.
Simon could be the next summer signing for Liverpool and if a move materializes, he will be the fifth African player in the current squad after Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Naby Keita and Joel Matip.
Rumor probability: 7/10
This is not the first time Simon's name has been linked with Liverpool and understandably so. Jurgen Klopp will need a player who can take the place of either Mane or Salah when the need arises, without affecting the gameplay and the Nigerian's traits make him a perfect fit.
In addition, playing alongside seasoned stars like Mane and Salah can help the youngster improve his game. Not to forget that Klopp has a proven track record of developing young forwards.
Since the player has only one year left on his contract, Gent will be keen to get a fee for him this summer rather than seeing him leave for free a year later.
What's next?
If Liverpool are indeed interested in the player in question, we can expect them to make a formal bid pretty soon. That will be followed by negotiations over the exact fee, followed by the regular squabbling over personal terms. With Gent expected to quote a price well within the reach of the Merseyside club, this particular deal might not take forever to materialize.
