Liverpool held talks to sign former Chelsea star before he rejected them this summer - Reports

Liverpool were in contact with former Chelsea midfielder Kevin De Bruyne before his move to Napoli this summer, according to The Athletic. The Belgian midfielder left Manchester City as a free agent this summer to join the Serie A champions.

De Bruyne has been one of the best midfielders to play in the Premier League in the past decade, but the Cityzens opted to let him go this summer. The 33-year-old, who won the Premier League six times during his stay at the Etihad, was wanted in the MLS and the Middle East as well.

It now appears that Liverpool were also keen on taking him to Anfield this year. The Reds are looking to add more quality to their midfield before the start of the new season.

Interestingly, De Bruyne has previously revealed that he supported the Merseyside club while growing up. As such, he was apparently open to a move to Liverpool as well.

However, the Premier League champions were, at that time, working to sign Florian Wirtz, which meant that the veteran Belgian wasn't guaranteed regular minutes. As such, the former Chelsea man opted to move to Serie A instead.

Interestingly, De Bruyne joined the Blues from Genk in the summer of 2012. He failed to have an impact with the London giants, managing just nine appearances. Chelsea offloaded him permanently to Wolfsburg in the summer of 2014 for £16.7m, and would live to rue that decision.

Will Chelsea and Liverpool lock horns for Malick Fofana this summer?

Malick Fofana

Chelsea and Liverpool are among the clubs eyeing a move for Malick Fofana this summer, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri. The Belgian forward caught the eye with Lyon in the 2024-25 campaign, registering 11 goals and six assists from 41 games across competitions.

His efforts have already earned him admirers at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are looking for a new forward to replace Jadon Sancho, who is set to return to Manchester United at the end of his loan deal.

The London giants have targeted younger players in recent windows, and Fofana fits the bill. Lyon reportedly want €50m to let him go, which shouldn't be a problem for Chelsea either.

However, the report adds that Liverpool are currently the favorites to lap up the 20-year-old. The Reds reportedly want Fofana as a possible replacement for Federico Chiesa, who is likely to leave Anfield this summer.

Edited by Deepungsu Pandit