Liverpool and Chelsea could reportedly go head-to-head for the signature of PSV Eindhoven attacker Johan Bakayoko during the upcoming transfer window.
There is currently a host of speculation surrounding the 20-year-old's future due to his impressive form for PSV during the 2023-24 campaign.
Bakayoko, who is already a nine-time Belgium international, has scored eight goals and registered 13 assists in 40 appearances for his Dutch club this term.
According to German journalist Patrick Berger, both Liverpool and Chelsea are keen on the youngster, with PSV believed to value him between €50m (£42.9m) and €60m (£51.5m).
Chelsea's likely absence from next season's Champions League could allegedly hand Liverpool the advantage when it comes to any potential discussions with the forward in the coming months.
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Bakayoko spent time with OH Leuven, Club Brugge, Mechelen and Anderlecht during his youth career before making the move to PSV in 2019.
The Belgian made 57 appearances for PSV Eindhoven Under-21s, scoring 20 goals and registering 16 assists, before making the step into the Dutch outfit's senior side.
Bakayoko has since made 77 appearances for PSV in all competitions, scoring 15 goals and registering 18 assists in the process.
The right-sided forward has netted eight times and registered eight assists in 26 Eredivisie appearances during the 2023-24 campaign, while he has also made an impression in the Champions League.
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Bakayoko provided four assists in four appearances during the qualification rounds for the group stage of this season's Champions League, while he managed one goal and one assist in eight outings in the competition before PSV were knocked out by Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16.
The Belgian penned a new deal with PSV last February, and he has another two years left to run on his agreement, but his Dutch club are not in a position to reject a sizeable offer from the Premier League.
Liverpool are on course to secure a return to the Champions League for the 2024-25 campaign, but Chelsea sit down in 11th position in the Premier League table, 14 points behind fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
Both clubs are expected to be active during the upcoming transfer window, but there will also have to be first-team sales in order to comply with the financial regulations.
Matt Law
