This article is part of Football FanCast's Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news...

According to Calciomercato, Liverpool are interested in Lyon's Memphis Depay.

What's the story?

The Netherlands international played for Manchester United between 2015 and 2017, and struggled to perform for the Red Devils. In 53 appearances in all competitions, he managed just seven goals and six assists.

However, he has re-booted his career in Ligue 1 with Les Gones, and he is now attracting interest from both the Reds and Premier League rivals Tottenham.

Dethrone Shaqiri

Going forward, there are few attacks in world football that are as strong as Liverpool's. Between them last season, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino score a grand total of 69 goals in all competitions as Jurgen Klopp's team marched towards the Champions League title.

As such, 25-year-old Depay would struggle to break into the first XI and be a guaranteed starter, but there is no reason why he couldn't be a back-up and rotation option for the Reds, providing an improvement on Xherdan in the same role.

Since moving to France for £16m in 2017, the former PSV Eindhoven winger has looked rejuvenated, scoring 50 goals and providing 42 assists in 130 matches as Lyon qualified for the Champions League in back-to-back seasons. He has returned to the stunning form that convinced United to sign him in the first place in 2015.

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80-time Switzerland international Shaqiri joined Liverpool for £13m after former side Stoke City got relegated to the Championship. Yes, he may have started just 15 games in all competitions, but he had an important impact when he did appear. Against Man United, for example, his brace won them all three points, whilst he also provided an assist in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona. He is a good player, but Depay, aged three years younger and more prolific in front of goal, would surely be an upgrade on the former Bayern Munich man.

His quality would allow to him have an even stronger impact for Klopp and co. His £40.5m market value - as per Transfermarkt - does make you wonder whether the Reds would be prepared to pay such a big fee for a back-up option, but should they do so, they would be getting a top talent who would not reduce the overall attacking threat of the team were he to feature.