Liverpool battle Barcelona and Leipzig for Swedish wonderkid

Tom Weber

• 16 Dec 2023 03:57 CST
• 3 min read

Liverpool are one of at least three European giants keeping tabs on Momodou Sonko, according to Swedish media.

The youngster has burst onto the scene at BK Hacken this year and has earned rave reviews. At just 18, the winger racked up 10 goals and five assists across 2023 and this has, unsurprisingly, attracted the attention of bigger sides.

According to Expressen, "some of the world's biggest clubs have turned their eyes to BK Häcken's super talent Momodou Sonko." Indeed, it is claimed that Liverpool scouts were in attendance at Hacken's Europa League game against Qarabag on Thursday, in which a 2-1 loss condemned the Swedish side to an ignoble exit from Europe, having picked up no points whatsoever in the group stage.

The report goes on to mention that Barcelona and RB Leipzig are also in the mix to sign Sonko. These three are currently the favourites to land him, but interest in his services will only increase as we inch closer to January.

A record sale

It appears that Liverpool have been particularly hot on his tail in recent times, with the Swedish outlet stating that the Qarabag fixture in Baku wasn't the first instance of Reds scouts watching Sonko in the flesh. Liverpool people also previously attended at least one Hacken training session in Sweden.

It is not yet set in stone that the 18-year-old will move in January. There is an argument to be made that staying with the Swedish champions of 2022 for at least another year could help his development, but in the event of a sale, he will fetch a club-record amount. Hacken value the youngster at €8-9 million.

If he were to go for €9m, he would also become the league's joint-record sale. In the summer, Hugo Larsson signed for Eintracht Frankfurt from Malmo for an initial €9m, breaking Alexander Isak's long-standing record of €8.6m.

Sonko will train with the Swedish senior national team in their January camp, which will only enhance his reputation. Hacken sporting director Martin Ericsson said of the wonderkid in October: "I think every single club I have spoken to knows who he is."

"It's been that way for a long time - and it's all the way up to the absolute top teams in Europe. There are many who have been following him for a long time."