Why Cher Ndour Is the Name Liverpool Fans Should Get Used To Hearing
Transfer gossip involving Fiorentina rarely makes waves on Merseyside, but a report from Italian outlet La Repubblica has done exactly that this week, naming Liverpool among the clubs keeping tabs on midfielder Cher Ndour. The 22 year old has quietly built one of the more interesting CVs in Serie A, and according to the report, both Liverpool and Juventus are watching how his situation develops.
We should be clear from the outset that this looks a long way from anything concrete. Fiorentina are said to value Ndour at somewhere between £26-30 million, equivalent to roughly €30-35 million, and the Viola are in no rush to do business in January. If anything moves, the indications are that it will happen next summer rather than during the upcoming winter window.
The Fiorentina Numbers That Matter
Ndour has made the Franchi his home since January 2025, when Fiorentina brought him in from Paris Saint-Germain for a reported €5 million, a deal that still leaves PSG with a 50 per cent sell-on clause attached. That detail alone could complicate any future negotiation, since a chunk of whatever fee Liverpool or anyone else eventually pays would filter back to Paris.
In that time he has racked up 63 appearances and contributed to 12 goals, numbers that explain why his name keeps surfacing. He has also caught the eye on the international stage, scoring twice for Italy’s Under-21s against Poland during their run to the European Championship, including a strike from inside his own half that did the rounds on social media for its sheer audacity.
A Player Who Has Seen the Football World
Few midfielders his age can claim the kind of CV Ndour already has. Spells with Benfica, PSG, Braga and Besiktas preceded his move to Florence, giving him exposure to several different leagues and footballing cultures before he had even turned 22. Standing at 6ft 3in, he offers a physical profile that English football tends to prize in central midfield, and that versatility across competitions is presumably part of what has alerted recruitment staff at Anfield.
Liverpool are far from alone in admiring him. The report notes that Crystal Palace already tested Fiorentina’s resolve with what was described as a concrete offer, only to be knocked back, while Napoli have also been given short shrift. Juventus, meanwhile, are said to be running a parallel interest to Liverpool’s, which suggests that any move for Ndour next summer could turn into a genuine scrap.
Why Timing Matters More Than the Name
Liverpool’s attention this week is understandably elsewhere. Sunday brings Manchester City to Anfield, with Andoni Iraola’s squad back at the AXA Training Centre after the international break and facing a City side that has won all five of its league matches so far this season to sit top on 15 points, five clear of a Liverpool team in sixth on nine.
The injury list has not helped matters either. Alexander Isak has returned from international duty with Sweden carrying a thigh issue, Cody Gakpo has an ankle problem from his time with the Netherlands, Jeremy Jacquet missed France’s win over Belgium with a hamstring strain, and Hugo Ekitike remains out with an Achilles injury. None of that has any direct bearing on a January or summer midfield deal, but it does underline why squad depth keeps coming up in conversations about Liverpool’s recruitment planning.
Our View
Stories like this one tend to generate more excitement than substance, and this is a case where the caution is worth repeating. A valuation in that region for a player Fiorentina have no intention of selling in January is not the sort of thing that gets resolved quickly, and Liverpool’s recruitment department will know that patience, not urgency, is what a deal like this calls for.
That said, there is enough here to take seriously. Ndour’s size, versatility and experience across four different leagues before his 22nd birthday make him exactly the type of profile clubs like Liverpool tend to monitor for years before ever making a move. The presence of Juventus, Palace and Napoli in the conversation only confirms that Fiorentina will have options if they eventually decide to cash in.
The real question for Liverpool supporters is less about whether Ndour is good enough and more about where he would fit. Is he being considered as a long term successor in midfield, or as competition further down the pecking order? Until Iraola and the recruitment team show their hand, this remains speculation worth filing away rather than getting carried away with. Expect this one to run quietly in the background for months before anything is confirmed one way or another.