Who is Mohamed-Ali Cho? The Liverpool Transfer Target Who Once Eluded Everton.
The Premier League has increasingly turned to Ligue 1 for talent, spending €262.5 million on new signings from the French top flight. No other European league has generated more revenue from player sales to England’s biggest clubs this season, surpassing Serie A and the Bundesliga over the last two transfer windows. Judging by recent headlines in English newspapers, another major spending spree could be on the horizon at the end of the current campaign.
Reports from England suggest that multiple Premier League clubs are considering a summer move for Nice forward Mohamed-Ali Cho. The 21-year-old has recorded five goals and three assists in 25 appearances across all competitions this season and is heavily linked with a transfer to Liverpool. With the Anfield club reportedly preparing for the possible departures of several key players, a young prospect like Cho could be a priority target for the upcoming transfer window. But who is the Ligue 1 talent, and is he ready for a move to Anfield?
If Cho does join Liverpool, he may find himself in familiar surroundings. Born and raised in Stains, a suburb of Paris, Cho was part of Paris Saint-Germain’s youth academy before moving to Liverpool at the age of nine due to his parents’ work. He spent four years in Everton’s academy before his family returned to France, despite the club’s efforts to keep him on Merseyside. His mother, who was also his agent at the time, reportedly turned down Everton’s offer, stating, “Everton isn’t the project we are looking for.” Cho then joined Angers, a move that quickly accelerated his rise.
At Angers, Cho transitioned from youth prospect to first-team regular in a matter of months. During the 2021/22 season, he accumulated more first-team minutes than any other player in his age group in Ligue 1. His maturity and talent were evident, with veteran teammate Romain Thomas praising his work ethic and physical attributes, noting, “He has above-average natural qualities; his physical strength and speed stand out.”
Cho soon attracted interest from top European clubs, including Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund, but ultimately joined Real Sociedad for €13 million in the summer of 2022. However, injuries severely disrupted his time in Spain. A hamstring issue sidelined him for seven of Sociedad’s first 14 league games, and an ankle injury shortly after his return kept him out for another eight matches. By the time he regained full fitness in March 2023, he had lost his place in the starting lineup, making it difficult to establish himself in LaLiga.
Rather than remain on the fringes in Spain, Cho returned to France when Nice signed him for €10 million in the winter transfer window of 2023. His second stint in Ligue 1, however, has been less smooth than his breakout at Angers. Transfermarkt’s Ligue 1 expert Ronan Caroff noted that Cho was initially deployed on the right wing by Nice coach Francesco Farioli but has since showcased more versatility under Franck Haise, featuring on both flanks and as a striker. “Statistically, there’s nothing too remarkable, but this has been his most consistent run since his final season at Angers,” Caroff observed.
Cho’s numbers remain modest—one goal and three assists in 17 league appearances in the latter half of last season, and five goals with three assists in 25 matches this campaign. While he remains a promising talent, his performances at Nice have yet to fully justify the early hype surrounding his potential. This may raise concerns for Liverpool fans hoping for an immediate impact signing, though there’s still time for Cho to prove his worth before the season ends. If he can rediscover the form that once made Everton desperate to retain him, he could still turn heads in the Premier League.
