As the slog that has been Liverpool’s 2025/26 season nears its unceremonious conclusion, attention has already begun to shift — both among supporters and within the club itself — toward what promises to be a hugely important summer aimed at steering next season's team back in the right direction.
Following a summer in which the departure of Luis Díaz now looks, in hindsight, like a significant mistake, while marquee signings such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak failed to justify their combined price tags in their debut campaigns, it is vital that the board gets its next round of decisions right — both in terms of arrivals and departures.
So, with Arne Slot recently promising that supporters can expect a completely different identity from the side next season than the fragile one displayed throughout this campaign, let’s take a look at one potential arrival and one possible departure that have gathered momentum in recent days.
Potential arrival: Bradley Barcola
Paris Saint-Germain have looked every bit the most dangerous side in world football over the last two seasons, and as the French giants prepare for another Champions League final at the end of the month, one of their brightest young stars could potentially be considering a change of scenery this summer.
PSG wingers Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué have been immense for Luis Enrique’s side this campaign, but as that attacking duo has flourished, Bradley Barcola has found himself somewhat pushed to the side.
Between Mohamed Salah’s looming departure and Cody Gakpo’s well-documented struggles this season, Arne Slot has gotten little consistency from his first-choice wingers.
Based on Barcola’s body of work, however, he could very well provide the creative spark Liverpool’s attack has lacked out wide throughout this campaign.
Despite playing 953 minutes compared to Kvaratskhelia’s 1,057 in the Champions League, the French youngster still managed six goal contributions during PSG’s run to yet another European final, even registering an assist against Liverpool during the Parisians’ dominant 4-0 aggregate victory over the Reds.
And while many Liverpool supporters understandably want Rio Ngumoha to inherit the starting left-wing role next season, the teenager still has plenty of development ahead of him.
Bringing in Barcola, who turns 24 in September and is just entering the prime years of his career, would add a dynamic, high-upside option to a winger group that has too often looked uninspiring this season.
In fact, Barcola’s profile could make him an ideal influence on Ngumoha’s development. Both players thrive through explosive pace, direct attacking play, and elite one-on-one dribbling ability, meaning Barcola could help mentor the 17-year-old as he continues growing into Liverpool’s long-term option on the left wing.
Additionally, Barcola already has familiarity with Hugo Ekitike through the French national team setup, which could help Liverpool further maximize the striker’s output after an impressive debut season at Anfield.
With the same number of goals as Salah and four more goal contributions than Gakpo despite operating in a secondary role at PSG, Barcola is the type of winger who could inject youth, energy, and unpredictability into a Liverpool attack that has grown increasingly stagnant.
It would be exactly the sort of refresh Slot may need as he attempts to restore belief among supporters heading into next season.
Liverpool FC v Galatasaray SK - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg
Liverpool FC v Galatasaray SK - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg | NurPhoto/GettyImages
Potential departure: Alisson Becker
Before diving into this one, let’s first get the obvious out of the way: Alisson Becker is a bona fide Liverpool legend.
His trophy cabinet speaks for itself, and over the years he has produced countless world-class saves that have rescued Liverpool in crucial moments. Quite simply, he is the best goalkeeper of Liverpool’s modern era.
That being said, with the likes of veterans Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson already confirming their departures at season's end, and Juventus publicly expressing interest in bringing the Brazilian to Serie A, this summer increasingly feels like a natural point for Liverpool to complete its changing of the guard.
At 33 years old, Alisson is currently valued somewhere between €15-20 million — meaning Liverpool could still command a respectable fee for a player approaching the latter stages of his career.
While his quality as a shot-stopper remains elite, this season has also highlighted why the club may need to start thinking long term.
Injuries have once again been a major concern. Alisson has missed a staggering 20 matches across all competitions this season, and that uncertainty surrounding his fitness has created instability in goal throughout the campaign, with Liverpool even forced to turn to third-choice keeper Freddie Woodman on several occasions.
Rather than waiting around to see whether Juventus make the first move, Liverpool themselves should look to strike while the iron is hot.
Doing so would help the club move forward with a clearer long-term vision for a defense that conceded 48 league goals this season; a tally nowhere near the standards expected at Anfield.
With both 25-year-old Giorgi Mamardashvili and 24-year-old Vítězslav Jaroš eager to establish themselves as Liverpool’s goalkeeper of the future, now may be the right moment for the club to respectfully thank Alisson for his immense contributions and begin planning for the next era between the posts.
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