Lille president Gerard Lopez has confirmed that Liverpool have been in contact with Nicolas Pepe’s agents.

The Reds have been constantly linked with a move for the Ivorian international this summer, despite the Merseyside club having denied any interest in the player.

However, speaking out on Liverpool and Pepe, Lopez revealed that although he had had no direct contact with the Premier League side, he was aware that they had talked with the player’s representatives:

“I know there have been discussions with the player, not with us as a club Liverpool have players in those positions and I read that maybe there were players who could leave, or not. I am not particularly focused on Liverpool. But it is true that there have been discussions with agents”

Whether that was merely an enquiry or something more substantial, we will have to wait and see. The French press have previously said that the Reds were close to matching Pepe’s €80m (£72m) asking price.

The 24-year-old has also been on Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal’s radar in the past, having scored 23 goals and contributed 12 assists in 41 appearances for Lille last season.

Pepe is currently away with the Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations, and there are likely to be more developments when he returns from the tournament.