Maghnes Akliouche has made Paris Saint-Germain his preferred destination this summer, dealing a significant blow to both Liverpool and Manchester United.
The Monaco midfielder has reportedly informed both Premier League clubs that joining PSG is his clear priority ahead of any other move.
According to TEAMtalk, Akliouche has told Liverpool and United directly that his focus is on securing a transfer to the French capital this summer.
ESPN has also reported that PSG view Akliouche as a priority target, with the Ligue 1 champions pushing ahead in negotiations with Monaco.
Talks between PSG and Monaco are said to be advancing, putting the French giants in a strong position to win the transfer race comfortably.
Akliouche has established himself as one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in French football following an excellent season at Monaco.
His creativity, close control, intelligence between the lines, and ability to operate across multiple attacking roles have attracted interest from several elite clubs.
Liverpool had identified Akliouche as part of a wider attacking rebuild, with the club searching for younger creative options to strengthen their forward areas.
Manchester United saw him as a flexible midfielder capable of adding quality in the final third while helping freshen up their attacking structure under new management.
PSG, however, always represented a difficult rival to compete with, offering Champions League football, domestic dominance, and the chance to work under Luis Enrique.
For a France international already embedded in Ligue 1, that combination of factors makes the PSG project an extremely difficult proposition to turn down.
This setback appears to sting Liverpool more sharply than United, given their more urgent search for attacking creativity and long-term forward planning.
Akliouche’s press-resistant style, technical sharpness, and comfort receiving the ball in tight spaces would have suited Liverpool’s system particularly well.
Those qualities are difficult to find in the transfer market, making his preference for PSG a frustrating outcome for Arne Slot’s recruitment team.
Once a player makes PSG his clear preference, English clubs have historically found it very difficult to reverse that decision, regardless of what they offer.
Unless the PSG move collapses unexpectedly, both Liverpool and Manchester United may be better served turning their attention quickly towards alternative targets.
