5 transfer targets Liverpool could scout at AFCON | OneFootball

Highlights

There's no denying that Liverpool have gotten off to an incredible start this year. Jurgen Klopp has done a brilliant job transforming his team with some fantastic signings in the summer transfer window. The arrivals of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have all proven to be huge bits of business for the Reds.

Looking at the team right now, there's not really too much that Klopp will want to change, but nothing is ever truly perfect, and he'll always have an eye out for potential additions to his team as he continues to build on the strong start they've already had. With the African Cup of Nations on the horizon, there will be plenty of exciting talent turning out during the tournament and these are five players that may catch the attention of the Liverpool boss and essentially play their way into becoming targets for the Reds.

Mohammed Kudus

Liverpool are incredibly stacked on the left wing, but that isn't quite the case on the right. Sure, they've got one of the best wingers the Premier League has ever seen in Mohamed Salah in the role, but behind him, the options are very, very thin. If he were to go down injured at any point, god forbid, there aren't too many faces on the team that are capable of stepping into his position and taking over.

As a result, the Reds might be keeping an eye out for any exciting right-wingers in the African Cup of Nations to help bolster the squad and Mohammed Kudus could be the perfect man for the job. The West Ham United man already has a proven track record in England's top flight, and his exploits for the Hammers so far have proven he can perform in the Premier League after his summer arrival from Ajax for £38m according to the BBC.

For Ghana, Kudus could have one hell of a tournament and if he does, it's easy to imagine he catches Klopp's eye and a move to Anfield could potentially be on the cards in the near future. A move for the 23-year-old might prove difficult. His influence in the West Ham side as they compete in the Europa League might leave the star reluctant to leave David Moyes' club, but he could still be a target for Klopp if he has a solid international tournament with Ghana.

Samuel Chukwueze

What we've just said about Kudus, you can essentially replicate it here for Samuel Chukwueze. Liverpool desperately needs to add depth on the right wing with Salah the only real solid option in the position right now and if they want to branch out further than England and look for someone who hasn't played in the Premier League just yet, the AC Milan man will almost certainly be someone who makes his way onto their radar.

Playing for his country, Nigeria, Chukwueze will be among one of the strongest teams in the entire African Cup of Nations tournament, and it's easy to see him having a fantastic outing in the competition alongside the likes of Victor Osimhen. He's still fairly young, at just 24 years old, and his blistering pace makes him a nightmare for any defenders to deal with. If he manages to showcase that during the international tournament, there's a strong chance Klopp will take notice.

His time at Villarreal saw Chukwueze emerge as a seriously impressive prospect, but his move to Italy in the summer hasn't gotten off to the best of starts just yet. The winger has failed to score a single goal and only has the one assist in his first 10 appearances for Milan, but if he excels with Nigeria then it might be enough to make him a target for Liverpool. Also, his struggles in Italy might make him a little easier to pick up.

Edmond Tapsoba

The right flank isn't the only position in the Liverpool squad that the club need to bolster and add depth too, though. The centre of defence is also a little weak right now and with rumours of a move to Saudi Arabia for Ibrahima Konate surfacing, they could find themselves even thinner in the position soon.

As a result, the club would be wise to keep an eye out during the African Cup of Nations in an effort to identify potential options to add to the centre-back position within the squad and if they are to do so, it feels almost certain that Edmond Tapsoba will stand out and turn their heads. His form for Bayer Leverkusen over the last couple of seasons has been nothing short of immense and if he can be half as impressive for his native Burkina Faso then he's going to have one hell of a tournament.

The 24-year-old is a phenom at the back and his combination of speed and power make him a striker's worst nightmare. If he has a fine tournament with his country, he'll very likely make his way into Klopp's eyesight, and we wouldn't be surprised to see rumours of a potential move to Anfield in the near future begin to surface. It doesn't hurt that a former Reds star is currently his manager too, with Xabi Alonso doing a sensational job in Germany with Leverkusen right now.

Victor Osimhen

This one is almost like cheating as Liverpool's interest in Victor Osimhen has been fairly documented in the past, and it's no secret that the club would love to add the forward. So, it's not like a strong campaign in the African Cup of Nations for the striker would make him a new target for the team, but it would certainly reignite their former interest and bring him back to the forefront of their transfer agenda.

Osimhen is one of the very best strikers on the planet right now, and it feels like it may only be a matter of time before he leaves Napoli in search of a new challenge. There will be plenty of clubs fighting for his signature, and Liverpool will almost certainly be one of them. A strong tournament with Nigeria will no doubt ramp up interest in his services even more.

Recently, Osimhen's relationship with Napoli has appeared strained and as rumours of his future continue to circulate, Liverpool will very much want to throw their name into the hat if he begins looking for a new club and, as a result, he will absolutely be a star coming out of the African Cup of Nations with Klopp's full attention. Following the departure of Roberto Firmino in the summer, the Reds have very few real strikers in the team, and adding one with Osimhen's calibre could prove to be the difference between flirting with a the top of the Premier League table or taking control of the title race and getting their hands on another league title.

Terem Moffi

Interest in Osimhen is already sky-high, so Liverpool will face some tough competition for his services and as a result, may miss out. If that's the case, Terem Moffi is another highly impressive forward who could catch their eye if he's to have a solid campaign in the African Cup of Nations with Nigeria. Playing alongside Osimhen, the forward will benefit tremendously and if he comes out of the tournament looking good, he may very well have caught Klopp's attention.

His electric pace means he's a nightmare for defenders to try to contain, and he'd certainly thrive leading the frontlines for the Reds if he were to be brought to Anfield. The 24-year-old has had several superb seasons in France for both Lorient and OGC Nice, and a move to the Premier League and taking that next step up to an elite side feels like the natural progression that his career is destined to follow.

Moffi might not be the surefire hit that Osimhen is right now, but he'd be a hell of a lot cheaper, and the potential reward that a move for the star provides makes it a hard one to dismiss. If he performs for Nigeria, it's hard to imagine Klopp and Liverpool won't notice. Considering how good they've looked so far this season, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Merseyside club won't bother doing anything and are content to stick with what they've currently got and just ride out the season that way.

After all, they've done a good enough job so far, but there are some really thin areas in the team that could derail their campaign should they be hit with injuries. Klopp's a very intelligent manager and there's no doubt he's well aware of this, so it makes more sense to predict he'll be exploring a number of different avenues in the near future as he looks to bolster his team and with the African Cup of Nations coming up, it makes sense that he'd be keeping an eye on the tournament for potential acquisitions and if that's the case, then we can see these five players being the ones he comes away from the competition talking about.