Liverpool fans have become accustomed to their side being linked with a number of Lyon stars in recent months.

With it regularly being reported in the transfer gossip columns that the Reds often had scouts at a number of the Ligue 1 side's matches last season, it was no surprise to see Jurgen Klopp 's men mooted as a potential destination for a variety of Les Gones' hottest talent.

Lyon have already brought in close to £100million so far this summer following the departures of Tanguy Ndombele and Ferland Mendy to Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid respectively.

And the duo are unlikely to be the last departures from the Groupama Stadium before the start of the season either.

Having seen a well-publicised move to Anfield fall through at the 11th hour last summer, Nabil Fekir 's future has remained the subject of constant speculation over the past year.

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The latest reports in France claim Fekir has agreed personal terms with Real Betis, while Arsenal are also said to be interested in Lyon's captain.

But despite frequent links with Liverpool regardless of the Reds pulling the plug on a deal for the Frenchman, Klopp has shown no interest in reigniting his interest in the playmaker.

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Meanwhile, Memphis Depay has also seen his named often branded alongside Liverpool's.

A close friend of Reds midfielder Gini Wijnaldum , Brendan Rodgers tried to sign the forward prior to his move to Manchester United in 2015. And while a move to the Premier League didn't not work out as planned for the Dutchman back then, it wouldn't come as a shock if he returning to the English top-flight one day.

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Liverpool are in the market for a versatile forward this summer, while some fans remain frustrated at the Reds for not signing a creative midfielder as a replacement for Philippe Coutinho in the 18 months since his departure to Barcelona.

As such, it's easy to see why both Fekir and Depay continue to be linked with a move to Anfield.

The same can be said of their team-mates Moussa Dembele and Bertrand Traore, another two players who have been touted as potential Klopp signings this summer, while Houssem Aouar has also been mooted as a target in the sports pages.

Yet it would be a surprise if any of the quintet did move to Liverpool before the start of the season with the Germain insistent he does not need to spend big this summer.

The Reds' interest in Fekir has long-since extinguished due to concerns about a past knee injury. With a year left on his contract, Lyon's asking-price might now be less than half of what Liverpool were going to pay but that doesn't mean they come back in for the Frenchman who endured an underwhelming campaign following his collapsed move to Anfield.

Capable of playing anywhere across the front three, Depay would tick the boxes as a desired versatile forward. Meanwhile, his relationships with Wijnaldum and Virgil van Dijk would ensure it surely would not be difficult to convince him on a move to Merseyside.

But, with two years left on his contract, he would undoubtedly cost big-money and, at 25, would not be content with what is likely to be a supporting role from the bench behind Mohamed Salah , Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane .

The same is true of Traore. Another capable of covering all three front positions but another who would cost big-money with the former Chelsea man's contract expiring in 2022. And, having left Stamford Bridge after growing disillusioned with a lack of first team opportunities, will be unlikely to sacrifice first team football for a reserve role.

As for Dembele, he does not offer the versatility of a Depay or Traore. A traditional striker, he only joined Lyon from Celtic last summer and his contract expires in 2023.

At 21, Aouar is the youngest of the Lyon stars Liverpool have been linked with. While he can play outwide, he is predominantly a central-midfielder - a position the Reds are already well-stocked in.

The likes of Adam Lallana and James Milner might be the wrong side of 30, but with Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Xherdan Shaqiri, Curtis Jones and Wijnaldum also available options and Marko Grujic out on loan, Klopp doesn't need to bolster such a position.

And besides, Aouar too would not come cheap. His contract also runs out in 2023, while he made more starts for Lyon than any other player last season.

But there is one Lyon player who Liverpool have found themselves linked with who could prove to be a realistic arrival this summer.

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Maxwel Cornet.

The 22-year-old winger has so far been unable to agree a new contract with the Ligue 1 club despite holding talks at the start of the year.

And while his current deal doesn't expire until 2021, Cornet has opened the door to a move to Liverpool after being asked about the possibility of a move to Anfield by beIN Sports France.

“I did not say I wanted to leave,” he said. “We met the president [Jean-Michel Aulas] in January, and I said I wanted to extend [my contract], but talks were not successful.

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“Liverpool are a big club, any links are flattering. I’m under contract until 2021, but you never know in football so we’ll see.”

With Dembele, Depay and Traore forming Lyon's first-choice front three, Cornet had to make do with a supporting role last season with forward capable of playing anywhere across the front three.

And despite making just 12 Ligue 1 starts last season, that didn't stop him from registering 12 goals and five assists.

He also caught the eye in the Africa Cup of Nations despite again being utilised as a substitute, scoring once for Ivory Coast during the competition as they suffered a quarter-final defeat to Algeria on penalties earlier this week.

With his contribution to the tournament now over, he is free to turn his attentions back to his future should Liverpool make an approach.

Liverpool's transfer business - this summer and next

Unlikely to break the bank to the extent of a Depay or Dembele, he fits the bill for the sort of signing Klopp is looking to make this summer.

And while there are no guarantees he will end up joining Liverpool in the forthcoming weeks, he is certainly a player the Reds will have watched with interest last year as they weighed up their options heading into the transfer window.