Liverpool and Arsenal learn asking price for 25-year-old Premier League star amid transfer interest: Reports

Liverpool and Arsenal target Bryan Mbuemo has been slapped with a massive £60 million price tag by Brentford ahead of the winter transfer window. As reported by Football Insider via The Hard Tackle, the Bees are unwilling to part ways with their star forward in January and are looking to price teams out.

Mbuemo has been in fantastic form for Brentford this season in the Premier League, having scored eight goals in nine league games. The 25-year-old finds himself behind only Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland, who has 11 goals to his name, in the race for Golden Boot.

The France-born Cameroon international's progress has not gone unnoticed by the bigger sides from across Europe. Liverpool and Arsenal are thought be huge admirers of the versatile attacker, who can play across the frontline.

Mbuemo has been a great servant to Brentford since joining the Bees in 2019 from French outfit Troyes. He was a key part of their promotion-winning side in 2020-21 and has grown from strength to strength in the Premier League over the years.

The left-footed forward is predominantly a right-sided inside forward but has been equally effective as a No. 9 for Thomas Frank's side. In 211 appearances for the Bees till date, he has found the back of the net 58 times while producing 42 assists.

Liverpool are sweating over the future of Mohamed Salah, who has his contract expiring next summer. The Reds could find a solid replacement for their star attacker in Mbuemo should Salah choose to leave on a free transfer.

Arsenal, on the other hand, could also do with more competition for places in the attack. Mbuemo could provide much-needed cover for Bukayo Saka on the right flank and could also take the No. 9 role under Mikel Arteta.

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Liverpool superstar lauds Arsenal's 23-year-old star

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk recently hailed Arsenal defender William Saliba, who has often been compared to the Dutchman. The Netherlands international also admitted that he was nowhere near as good as Saliba when he was the Frenchman's age.

Van Dijk is often regarded as one of the best and most complete centre-backs of the modern era. Saliba, on the other hand, is widely considered as one of the best young central defenders on the planet right now.

Lauding Saliba for his immense progress at Arsenal, Virgil van Dijk told Rio Ferdinand Presents, as quoted by Liverpool.com:

"Obviously, Saliba's making very good steps at the moment. He's the first one I just have in mind now. He's a solid one. I think in possession, he's doing a good job."

The 33-year-old added:

"Yeah [he reminds me of myself], maybe. I think, if I'm honest, when I was that age, I was nowhere near where he was today. Obviously, that's the beauty of football as well. I like to watch other defenders and pick up so many stuff from them. There are so many good ballplayers and centre-halves."

Van Dijk joined Liverpool in January 2018 in a reported £75 million deal from Southampton and has been excellent for the Reds. He has made 282 appearances for the Merseyside giants to date and has won eight trophies, including the Champions League (2019) and Premier League (2020).

Meanwhile, Saliba joined Arsenal in 2019 in a reported £27 million deal from Saint-Etienne. Following three successive loan spells away from the Emirates, he finally made his debut for the Gunners in 2022 and has done incredibly well since.