Liverpool agree pre-contract deal for teen forward N'Guessan before loan to Brest

Liverpool have agreed a deal worth about £4.3m to sign France youth forward Djylian N’Guessan from Saint-Étienne, with a pre-contract already signed ahead of an official move in January. The 18-year-old will not join the Reds immediately and is set to spend the 2026-27 season on loan at Ligue 1 club Brest (Stade Brestois). Liverpool said the loan plan is driven by squad and loan constraints this summer, with an available loan slot expected to open in January and work-permit eligibility anticipated to be resolved by then. N’Guessan has youth international experience including appearances for France at the 2025 Under-20 World Cup, and he previously impressed at the 2025 Under-17 European Championship. The signing is part of Liverpool’s broader global recruitment model led by director of global talent Matt Newberry. The club will monitor him through Brest’s matches before he becomes a Liverpool player in January.