Maghnes Akliouche is going to Paris. And Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle are all left watching from the window.
The Monaco forward has told every club that came asking the exact same thing. He wants PSG. According to TEAMtalk, talks between the two French clubs are now moving fast and a deal around £60 million is taking shape.
Akliouche isn’t some raw prospect. He’s 24 years old and just played his way onto Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad. Seven goals and nine assists last season. He can play out wide or through the middle. That kind of versatility made him one of the most scouted players in Europe this summer. Liverpool had people on him for over a year. United did their homework too. Newcastle saw him as an answer to their creative problems. But it didn’t matter.
The Player Made His Choice Early
Sources say Akliouche was clear from the start. If he left Monaco, it was for PSG and nobody else. A conversation with Luis Enrique reportedly sealed it. The PSG coach sold him on the vision and the fit, and the player was convinced.
PSG have been making room. Goncalo Ramos is close to joining AC Milan in what would be a club-record sale for the Italian side. Lee Kang-in is heading to Atletico Madrid. Those exits free up space in the attack and the wage bill. Akliouche slots right into that gap.
Monaco isn’t fighting it. The player is under contract until 2028, but they know when a guy has his mind made up. They’ve already lined up a loan for Manchester City youngster Mathys Detourbet as a replacement. That’s the move of a club that’s moved on.
What English Clubs Miss Out On
Liverpool needed a versatile attacker and Akliouche fit the profile. United needed creativity and he checked that box too. But PSG has the pull of home. The guy is French, he wants to play in Paris. It’s hard to compete with that when the club is willing to spend.
It’s not a disaster for any of those Premier League teams. There are other targets. But it’s a loss. Akliouche is one of those players who doesn’t just fill a stat sheet; he changes how you build your attack. Monaco used him everywhere last season and he never looked out of place.
For PSG, this is another piece of a roster that keeps getting younger and more French. They’re not done yet either. Expect more outgoings and maybe another signing before the window closes. Akliouche just happens to be the first big domino.
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