Liverpool Have Made Contact with Nicolas Pepe Amid Rumours, Says Lille President

Lille president Gerard Lopez has confirmed Liverpool have made contact with winger Nicolas Pepe, although the Premier League giants are yet to enter discussions with his club.

The Merseysiders have been one of the suitors strongly linked with Pepe following his breakout season.

Lopez spoke to RMC Sport journalist Mohamed Bouhafsi (h/t Goal) and said Liverpool have at least had talks with the player:

"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."

French football writer Jeremy Smith provided more quotes from the interview and speculated upon some of Lopez's suggestions regarding Pepe's future:

Liverpool have been linked with a series of wing targets, presumably seeking competition for the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, or as a method to push the former into a more central role.

Lopez's remarks conflict with Liverpool's own statement in late June, with a club source alleged to have said the links with Pepe were "pure lies," per ESPN FC's Melissa Reddy.

Pepe is away on international duty at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where his Ivory Coast side are scheduled to face off against Mali in the last 16 on Monday.

The wide star is yet to register a goal or an assist at the tournament in Egypt, but Statman Dave recently celebrated his prolific 2018-19 figures as evidence of a talent deserving a big switch:

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp relied heavily on Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi for his attacking cover last season, while fit-again Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Lallana could be considered wide alternatives.

But Pepe looks like a much higher class of talent on the wing, and BT Sport celebrated some of his best bits following a campaign in which he had 33 goal involvements across all competitions:

Klopp's side will need to convince the club to part ways with Pepe, 24, whom Lopez has previously valued at around €80 million (£71.8 million).