If Liverpool’s 4-2 defeat to Milan on Saturday afternoon showcased anything, it’s that the recruitment team are in dire need of signing a central defender.
The reasoning is less about the scoreline but more about the situation Arne Slot’s men find themselves in.
Joe Gomez has flown home from Singapore owing to an injury, which has left Ibou Konate and Virgil Van Dijk as the only fit central defenders.
In fact, Ryan Gravenberch even had to play at centre half on Tuesday.
The obvious incoming would be Marc Guehi. Liverpool have been religiously linked with the Crystal Palace captain right throughout the summer window. A £45m deal could be on the table if Richard Hughes and Steve Parish get talking.
Yet, that’s not where all the excitement is right now. The suspense lies in Alexander Isak’s and Liverpool’s forward line.
What's next for Liverpool in the transfer market
The Reds may have welcomed Hugo Ekitike to Anfield last week, but that hasn’t cooled their interest in Isak.
The Merseysiders are believed to be the frontrunners for the Swede’s signature but would have to make a bid of around £150m before Newcastle United even consider selling their prized asset.
That sort of money could be funded by selling Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez and if they both did depart, another forward feels like they may well be needed.
Real Madrid winger Rodrygo has been linked but that’s not Hughes’ top target according to ESPN.
Indeed, as per Julien Laurens, it’s reported that the club’s sporting director is a huge fan of PSG winger Bradley Barcola.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, it’s unlikely the Champions League winners would be open to selling. That said, just like Isak, every player has their price.
Why Bradley Barcola would be such an exciting signing
Landing Isak this summer would be a remarkable piece of business, something that eclipses the £116m deal to bring Florian Wirtz to England.
Wirtz has become the most expensive player in Premier League history and before too long, Isak looks set to surpass that number.
Many view him as the best striker in the world right now and his haul of 27 goals last term certainly puts him in that bracket.
He’s an electrifying player, someone cut from the same cloth as Thierry Henry, in the words of Eddie Howe.
This isn’t a player Liverpool necessarily need after Ekitike’s arrival but signing someone this good cannot be passed up on. Only Mo Salah scored more than the Newcastle forward last term in the English top-flight.
So, it would take quite the player to be as exciting as Isak but that’s the category Barcola falls into.
The Frenchman proved himself to be “one of the best left wingers in Europe” in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, certainly last season, and he’s only gone from strength to strength since switching Lyon for Paris.
For Luis Enrique’s men in 2024/25, the Frenchman scored 21 goals and also supplied 21 assists for his teammates.
Bradley Barcola's stats pre-Club World Cup.
For context, that’s two fewer assists than Salah managed across the same campaign, a statistic that illuminates the pairing’s ability to create and score on a regular basis.
Like Salah, Barcola is a duel threat from outside and his dazzling ability to beat players in 1 v 1 situations makes him one of the most exciting players on the continent.
Compared to positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year, the 22-year-old ranks among the very best for a whole host of metrics.
Goals
0.58
0.49
Assists
0.41
0.19
Shots
3.06
2.66
Key passes
2.07
2.10
Progressive passes
3.97
4.12
Successful take-ons
1.40
1.99
Carries
35.3
29.2
Progressive carries
5.66
4.04
One of the most creative and progressive wide players around, Barcola would fit seamlessly into this Liverpool team, notably ranking in the top 8% of wingers in Europe for assists, the top 9% for progressive carries and the best 2% for expected goals.
In short, he’s a demon with the ball at his feet and regularly crests goalscoring opportunities not just for teammates but himself.
He also ranks favourably compared to Diaz, the man he’d likely replace, notably in the creative department. While Diaz scored 19 times in all competitions, he only registered eight assists.
Losing the Colombian to Bayern Munich would be a blow, but Barcola is a clear upgrade. Like Wirtz & Isak, he’d be a transformational arrival to Slot’s forward line.
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1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 21, 2025