Liverpool have a good chance of beating Chelsea to the signature of Borussia Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko, according to Noel Whelan.

The ex-Leeds forward claims that the presence of Jurgen Klopp at Anfield could help lure the German international away from the clutches of their Premier League rivals:

“Chelsea are investing massively under their new ownership and are blowing everyone out of the water. But don’t underestimate what a huge attraction Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are for players coming from the Bundesliga. They could be the ones who blow Chelsea away. Roberto Firmino is out of contract at the end of the season and, even if he signs an extension, he will need to be replaced in the next year or two. So, I can see why Liverpool are pushing on this one”.

Moukoko could leave on a free transfer at the end of the season and there is a lot of competition for the teenager’s services. In addition to Chelsea, it is believed that Manchester United, Arsenal and Barcelona are also keen on signing the forward.

There had been rumours that the 18-year-old was edging towards agreeing a contract extension with Dortmund but the player’s agent has spoken out to deny those reports, which suggests he could well leave Germany in the summer.

As Whelan points out, Moukoko could be an excellent replacement for Roberto Firmino. Although the German is more of an out-and-out striker, he possesses massive potential and it would be a big coup if he did decide to move to Anfield.