World-class star Klopp missed out on could be heading to Anfield

Liverpool are linked with countless players each year.

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At times, a move might come to fruition, while in most instances, a deal just isn't quite right between the club and the player.

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When Liverpool were looking to bring a winger into the squad in 2022 under Jurgen Klopp, one of the options assessed was 25-year-old Ousmane Dembele at Barcelona, who was snubbed in favour of Liverpool bringing in Luis Diaz from Porto.

In the end, the Frenchman moved to Paris Saint Germain in 2023, signing a five-year deal, and while Liverpool are happy with Diaz for the time being, it is arguable that Dembele has gone on to become a better player than the Colombian and he could get an opportunity to show the Reds what they're missing when the Champions League last 16 draw takes place in a few weeks.

Will the stars align for Dembele to upset Liverpool?

Last week it was confirmed that Liverpool would be progressing to the knockout rounds of Europe's elite competition having topped the eight-game league phase table, winning seven games.

As such, they successfully managed to navigate past the dreaded knockout playoff round, where the teams placed between ninth and 24th could have to battle it out in a two-legged contest to make it to the last 16.

PSG find themselves in that stage, but if they beat Brest, then they face the possibility of meeting Liverpool or Barcelona.

The draw will be made in just a few weeks, once the playoff round is completed and then both teams will know their fate.

While Liverpool might see this as a favourable position to be in because the French giants finished their 'league phase' sitting in 15th place, the firepower they possess is enough to create problems for any team, and they are not to be underestimated.

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And at the core of their explosive attacking unit is Dembele, whom Liverpool were actively scouting in 2022 before Diaz's move.

He has netted back-to-back hattricks for PSG this week against Stuttgart and Brest, and his goalscoring form extends all the way back to December against Lyon in Ligue 1.

Across those nine games, he only missed out on the scoresheet once, scoring 14 goals in that time. He's been truly rampant this season, while Luis Diaz has quickly cooled off from his early season form in front of goal.

Now of course, Liverpool have a more stable executive structure in place compared to when Klopp admired the Frenchman but the club might be tempted to make a move for Dembele in the future as the Reds' frontline needs freshening up.

Players essentially auditioning for the team through delivering standout performances at Anfield has become a recent trend with Liverpool's recruitment, and if PSG are coincidentally drawn against the Reds in a few weeks, then the team will have a significant task to stop him from stealing the show.

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