In December last year, Liverpool received a clear warning about the need to add a winger. Nearly 9 months later, they reached an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain to recruit Bradley Barcola.
Finding a replacement for Mohamed Salah has never been an easy task. The recent summer transfer window further clarified that problem.
Salah once said he felt "abandoned" and accused Liverpool of not keeping his promise. That should have been the time for them to prepare early for the breakup with the Egyptian striker. However, the subsequent reconciliation was only temporary, although it still gave Liverpool more time to find a successor.
Even when Barcola is about to complete the entry procedures, he is not a direct replacement for Salah. The French player plays his forte on the left wing, while Salah mainly operates on the right wing. However, with an initial fee of over £100 million and possibly increasing to £120 million, Barcola is still considered an important signing for Liverpool's attack.
The Reds" have recruited Victor Munoz for a much lower fee. He came on as a substitute in the match against Newcastle, taking the right wing position. Liverpool also appointed Andoni Iraola, a coach who emphasizes the role of wingers in the tactical system.
Iraola wants wingers right from the beginning of the season, but understands that completing big deals is not simple.
I definitely want wingers ready from the first day. The same applies to every position. But I understand the transfer market is not easy and the players we pursue are all high-class" - Iraola said.
Liverpool once pursued Yan Diomande, even making an offer that could be up to 86 million pounds. However, the Ivory Coast player left RB Leipzig to join Real Madrid for 115 million pounds.
The price of wingers is increasing, forcing Liverpool to calculate more carefully. Salah once came to Anfield for a fee of £36.5 million and quickly became one of the most successful deals of the club. Meanwhile, Chelsea spent £117 million for Morgan Rogers, and PSG once requested £145 million for Barcola before the two sides found common ground.
Liverpool also submitted two offers for Brighton's Yankuba Minteh and are interested in Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr. Unlike Barcola, both usually play on the right wing.
The common point in these goals is speed, the ability to create breakthroughs and exploit gaps. Iraola also emphasized that he needs players who can make a difference in one-on-one situations, while meeting pressing and defensive support requirements.
We need wingers who can make a difference, attack into space and do a good defensive job. If they can contribute with specific numbers, that's even better" - the Spanish strategist shared.
Barcola can hardly immediately reproduce what Salah did. The Egyptian striker has scored 257 goals for Liverpool and set very high standards. However, Barcola also possesses very impressive statistics. He scored 11 goals in Ligue 1 last season, averaging one goal after 159 minutes. In all competitions in the 2024-2025 season, this player has 21 goals and 21 assists for PSG.
Liverpool once ignored Antoine Semenyo when this player moved to Manchester City in January for £62.5 million. Semenyo then scored 2 goals against Liverpool at Anfield. He has 11 goals and 5 assists in the Premier League season 2024-2025, then continued to contribute 10 goals and 3 assists in the first half of last season under Iraola's leadership at Bournemouth.
However, Barcola has been Liverpool's target for many years. He impressed in the friendly match between Lyon and Liverpool in Dubai in 2022.
With Liverpool, Barcola may be the solution to the problem that has lasted for many months. However, to truly fill the void left by Salah, he will have to prove himself a lot at Anfield.
