Reds in talks with Cheyrou

Liverpool are locked in talks to tie up two of France’s brightest young stars on permanent deals, but have been snubbed by a third.

Striker Nicolas Anelka, who has been on loan at Liverpool since December, has been ruled out of Paris St Germain’s plans for next season and the French club are anxious to make his stay at Anfield permanent.

Liverpool have also confirmed today they are in negotiations with Lille over rising star Bruno Cheyrou, but Under-21 striker Djibril Cisse has pledged his immediate future to current club Auxerre.

Liverpool’s bid for the Premiership title lost its legs in the final month of the season and coach Gerard Houllier is anxious to strengthen his squad for a renewed challenge next season.

And PSG, who missed out on qualification for the Champions League in the final weekend of their season, are seemingly determined to offload Anelka, the club’s record signing who failed to gel following a £22m (€25m) move.

After leaving Arsenal, Anelka also failed to settle at Real Madrid and although the 23-year-old has scored just twice for Liverpool since joining on-loan in December, he has made a significant impact on Merseyside and insists he is happy to stay.

And it would appear to be all-systems-go with PSG club president Laurent Perpere confirming the club are doing all they can to thrash out a deal with Liverpool.

‘‘Anelka is definitely not in our plans for next campaign,’’ he said today. ‘‘We are negotiating only with Liverpool because we know that they are interested.

‘‘The player himself has been repeating that he wants to stay there and we are doing all we can to make things progress favourably for everyone.

‘‘His return to PSG is not envisaged at the moment. If no club expresses any interest in him, then he will come back because we still own him.

‘‘But he does not have his place in the new season that we are preparing.’’

Speculation regarding Liverpool’s interest in Cheyrou - who scored against Manchester United during this season’s Champions League first group phase - intensified over the weekend when Houllier was spotted watching Lille’s 1-0 win over Paris St Germain.

Both clubs have revealed talks are on-going and while reports in France are claiming the transfer has been completed, neither Liverpool nor Lille would confirm anything had been finalised.

Lille president Michel Seydoux said today: ‘‘Cheyrou might have announced things that have not been done yet, and he is still definitely playing for Lille.’’

While Cheyrou’s future is under discussion, 20-year-old Cisse has ruled out a move away from Le Championnat.

The France Under-21 striker, one of the most coveted players in European football, has enjoyed a wonderful season for Guy Roux’s side and finished alongside Bordeaux’s Pauleta as the league’s leading scorer with 22 goals.

He has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool, but he put paid to those rumours in today’s L’Equipe.

‘‘So far I have experienced the Champions League from the television, but next year I will definitely play in it with Auxerre,’’ Cisse said.

‘‘I read somewhere that my brother and my agent travelled to England but this is false. I am staying with Auxerre.’’