Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has reportedly made contact with PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot over a potential switch to Anfield next summer, with the French international in the final year of his contract.
Klopp has been a long-term admirer of the 23-year-old, and is thought to be keen on adding him to his squad after he enjoyed a successful season with the French champions. His interest is amplified by the possibility of snapping up Rabiot on a free transfer this summer - or potentially for a cut-price deal in January.
This is according to ESPN's France correspondent Julien Laurens, who says initial contact has been positive, and compared a potential deal to Liverpool's cross country pursuit of Naby Keita.
"The interest from Klopp in the player, even pre-Liverpool, and since Klopp has arrived, has always been there." Laurens said.
“Not maybe as strongly as now, because it’s a no brainer, you could get him for a bargain. So it’s not a difficult one, and I think there have been a lot of positives so far in the contact.
“There’s a long road ahead, but if you think about Naby Keita, and how Klopp and Liverpool played a blinder getting him ‘in’ early from Leipzig at the time.
“I think you can see a bit of similarity with Rabiot trying to get in early as well, maybe getting a pre-agreement very quickly, that would be signed in January, for example."
It's difficult to see where Rabiot would fit into the current Liverpool midfield, which has so far predominantly featured in-form trio Keita, Georginio Wijnaldum and James Milner.
This has left last season's captain Jordan Henderson - who has started just once - and new signing Fabinho struggling to get into the team, with injured duo Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also waitingin the wings.
Rabiot may well be seen as a long-term replacement for 32-year-old Milner though, despite his impressive start to the season.