Liverpool’s summer transfer window may be closed, but the club’s work on building for the future certainly isn’t finished.
In fact, one of the most interesting developments involves Djylian N’Guessan.
According to Jack Lusby, N’Guessan will officially make his transfer to Liverpool in January, despite Saint-Étienne announcing a new contract for the youngster before his loan move to Brest.
And that creates an intriguing decision for Liverpool.
Do they bring him straight to Anfield?
Or do they leave him out on loan for the rest of the season?
N’Guessan is officially heading to Liverpool
Liverpool agreed a deal for N’Guessan during the summer, with the highly-rated youngster viewed as one for the future.
The 18-year-old is a France youth international and has already gained experience in senior football despite his age.
Reports put the transfer fee at around £4.3 million, which makes this a relatively low-risk investment in a player Liverpool clearly believe has significant potential. (The Liverpool Offside)
But Liverpool aren’t necessarily expecting him to walk straight into Iraola’s first team.
This is a development signing.
And that is important to remember.
Why did Saint-Étienne give him a new contract?
This is probably the part that initially looks confusing.
If N’Guessan is moving to Liverpool in January, why have Saint-Étienne announced a new contract for him?
The important thing is that his future appears to have already been agreed with Liverpool.
The new contract doesn’t necessarily change the bigger picture.
Instead, N’Guessan can continue his development before making the next step in his career.
And that’s where his loan to Brest becomes particularly interesting.
Liverpool don’t need to rush him
This is something I actually like about the deal.
Liverpool don’t need N’Guessan to solve one of their first-team problems right now.
He’s only 18.
He has plenty of time.
And throwing a young player into the Premier League simply because Liverpool are short in one area isn’t necessarily the best way to develop him.
Sometimes the best thing a club can do is allow a youngster to play regularly somewhere else.
That’s why the Brest loan could prove extremely valuable.
January gives Liverpool another option
The fascinating part is that Liverpool apparently have a choice.
N’Guessan could be brought to Anfield during the January window.
Or he could remain on loan for the rest of the campaign.
For me, that’s exactly the decision Liverpool should be making based on his development rather than simply his age.
If he’s absolutely flying at Brest, perhaps Liverpool decide he needs to continue playing regularly.
If he’s adapted brilliantly and Liverpool believe he is ready for the next challenge, they could bring him back.
And if injuries have affected Iraola’s attacking options, the calculation could change again.
Liverpool’s long-term planning is clear
N’Guessan is another example of something Liverpool have been doing throughout this transfer window.
They aren’t simply thinking about tomorrow.
They’re thinking about the next few years.
We’ve already seen that with other young players arriving or being lined up for future moves.
And that’s important because Liverpool can’t continually spend huge amounts of money on established stars.
They also need to identify young players early.
Develop them.
And hopefully turn them into first-team players.
N’Guessan is clearly part of that strategy.
Could he become a first-team player?
That’s the million-pound question.
Nobody knows yet.
Young players can develop at completely different rates.
Some explode onto the scene early.
Others need several years.
N’Guessan has already shown enough to attract Liverpool’s attention, but that doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to become a star at Anfield.
Liverpool will have to be patient.
So will we.
Andoni Iraola could be important to his development
There’s another reason I’m interested in this signing.
Andoni Iraola.
The new Liverpool manager has already shown that he’s prepared to give young players opportunities if he believes they’re ready.
We’ve seen the likes of Rio Ngumoha and Lewis Koumas emerge as potential options, while Iraola has spoken positively about developing players and using versatility within his squad.
That could be hugely beneficial for N’Guessan.
If he impresses sufficiently, Iraola could eventually give him an opportunity.
But there shouldn’t be any pressure for that to happen immediately.
January could be a fascinating month
Liverpool’s January transfer business will probably depend heavily on what happens during the first half of the season.
If the squad remains healthy and the existing attacking options are performing well, Liverpool might decide that N’Guessan is better off continuing his development at Brest.
But if Liverpool are hit by injuries or need another attacking option, bringing him back could become more tempting.
That makes the January decision much more interesting than simply asking:
“Is he good enough?”
It’s also about:
“What’s best for his development?”
Another youngster for Liverpool to watch
The fact that N’Guessan is now set to officially join Liverpool in January is certainly worth keeping an eye on.
The teenager has already been identified as a player with significant potential, and Liverpool clearly don’t want to miss out on talented young players before their value increases.
But I don’t want supporters expecting too much too soon.
He’s 18.
He’s still developing.
And his next few months at Brest could be just as important as his eventual arrival at Anfield.
Bring him back or let him develop?
Personally, I’d take the patient approach.
If N’Guessan is getting regular football and developing nicely at Brest, there may be no reason to interrupt that.
Liverpool should only bring him back if Iraola and the coaching staff believe he can genuinely benefit from being around the first team.
Otherwise, let him play.
Let him develop.
Let him make mistakes.
Let him become physically and tactically ready for Liverpool.
Because the objective shouldn’t be to have Djylian N’Guessan at Anfield as quickly as possible.
The objective should be to have the best possible version of Djylian N’Guessan at Anfield.
And that’s a very different thing.
Liverpool could have another gem on their hands
The N’Guessan deal isn’t going to grab the headlines in the same way as Bradley Barcola.
It isn’t supposed to.
Barcola was signed to make an immediate impact.
N’Guessan is an investment in what Liverpool might look like in the future.
And that’s why I like the deal.
Liverpool have spent relatively little to secure a player they clearly believe has considerable potential, while also giving themselves flexibility over where he develops next.
Now comes the interesting part.
What happens in January?
Does Iraola decide N’Guessan is ready for the next step?
Or does Liverpool decide that another six months of regular football at Brest is exactly what he needs?
Either way, I’ll be watching.
Because if Liverpool have got this one right, we could eventually look back at the N’Guessan deal and realise they spotted his potential long before everybody else.
Another young player. Another Liverpool project.
And perhaps, in a few years’ time…
another Anfield star.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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