With a move for Yan Diomande failing to materialise, Liverpool will now turn to potential alternatives, seven of whom we have assessed here.
Liverpool are almost certain not to sign their first-choice target this summer, Diomande, after it was reported that he would prefer a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.
Two-footed, creative and young, he would have been the ideal candidate to replace Mo Salah on the right. However, the Reds’ scouting department must now find another.
Several names have already been linked to Liverpool; here are some of the players Richard Hughes and Co. could turn to next.
Bradley Barcola
3ER40Y1 Bradley BARCOLA of France celebrates his goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026, Group I match between France and Senegal at MetLife Stadium on June 16, 2026 in East Rutherford, United States. (Photo by Johnny Fidelin/Icon Sport)
Player Profile: Bradley Barcola
Approx Price: £120mAge: 23 (Sep 2, 2002)Height: 6’1″ (186cm)Birthplace: Lyon, France
Bradley Barcola is the most high-profile name here and for good reason.
Like many on this list, he is more suited to the left-hand side, but that hasn’t prevented Liverpool from making their interest known.
The 23-year-old has is one of the most exciting young attackers in Europe and is now reportedly pushing to leave PSG, due to the presence of Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia limiting his minutes.
Despite him not being a regular starter, the latest news is that he would cost more than £116 million.
It is a huge sum and one that Liverpool will be reluctant to pay.
He’s probably the best option, despite not actually playing on the right much, but a deal could be complicated and extremely expensive.
Yankuba Minteh
Brighton and Hove Albion's Yankuba Minteh during the Premier League match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday May 25, 2025.
Player Profile: Yankuba Minteh
Approx Price: £60mAge: 21 (Jul 22, 2004)Height: 5’11” (180cm)Birthplace: Bakoteh, Gambia
Club: BrightonPosition: Right-WingerFoot: LeftContract Until: June 2029
Of all the Premier League contenders to join Liverpool, Brighton‘s Yankuba Minteh is arguably the most exciting.
He is also one of the few on this list with a strong left foot who prefers playing on the right.
Among his positional peers in England’s top flight this season, he was ranked in the top 10 percent for successful dribbles per 90 (2.44), according to FotMob.
He also loved getting involved in dangerous areas, taking 6.94 touches per 90 inside the box, more than 88 percent of the league’s wingers.
The Brighton man’s name has been mentioned more than once by reporters as one of three lower-priced alternatives to Diomande.
Said El Mala
Player Profile: Said El Mala
Approx Price: £40mAge: 19 (Aug 26, 2006)Height: 6’0″ (183cm)Birthplace: Krefeld, Germany
Club: FC KolnPosition: Left-WingerFoot: Right2025/26 Goals/Assists: 13/5
The other two reported alternatives, alongside Minteh, are Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Said El Mala.
The latter has been impressing over the last year for FC Koln (Cologne) in the Bundesliga, playing on the left and up front.
This has meant he has a better goalscoring rate than many other potential wide targets, and he could also provide cover for Hugo Ekitike while he is out injured.
The 19-year-old has turned down Brentford already, has a lot of potential and is very two-footed. Local newspaper Express said no offer has come from Liverpool yet.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo
Player Profile: Matias Fernandez-Pardo
Approx Price: £60mAge: 21 (Feb 3, 2005)Height: 6’0″ (183cm)Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
Club: LillePosition: Centre-ForwardFoot: Right2025/26 Goals/Assists: 8/7
Another relatively unknown potential target, Fernandez-Pardo has spent the last year playing across the front three for Lille, most often through the middle.
The young attacker is right-footed, capable of playing both flanks and even earned a spot in Belgium’s World Cup squad, coming off the bench in each of their three games so far.
There are some who believe that Fernandez-Pardo could follow in the footsteps of two other great Lille youth products, Eden Hazard and Rafael Leao.
Bazoumana Toure
Bazoumana Toure of Ivory Coast celebrate during a 2025 AFCON (Credit Image: © Ulrik Pedersen/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA) Credit: Sipa US/Alamy Live News
Player Profile: Bazoumana Toure
Approx Price: £50mAge: 20 (Mar 2, 2006)Height: 5’10” (178cm)Birthplace: Bouake, Ivory Coast
Club: HoffenheimPosition: Left-WingerFoot: Right2025/26 Goals/Assists: 5/12
Diomande’s compatriot, Bazoumana Toure started the Ivory Coast’s first World Cup match but has since been dropped.
That doesn’t diminish from his brilliant campaign for Hoffenheim, though, for whom he was a major player in their fifth-place finish.
Still a raw, direct winger, he has tended to play on the left and, across the 2025/26 campaign, Toure’s crossing was a particular strength.
The 20-year-old’s 1.51 successful crosses per 90 minutes placed him in the top 5.1 percent of his positional peers in the Bundesliga for this statistic. He ranked similarly impressively for his crossing accuracy.
Toure’s dribbling was also a strong point – he successfully completed 1.86 dribbles per 90 (top 27 percent) – as was his pressing, something that Liverpool scouts must have noted.
Francisco Conceicao
Player Profile: Francisco Conceicao
Approx Price: £40mAge: 23 (Dec 14, 2002)Height: 5’5″ (166cm)Birthplace: Coimbra, Portugal
Club: JuventusPosition: Right-WingerFoot: Left2025/26 Goals/Assists: 4/5
An outside shout for Liverpool this transfer window could be Juventus’ Francisco Conceicao.
Like Salah, he is left-footed and has made his name in Serie A. However, his most recent campaign wasn’t particularly strong.
Conceicao scored just four goals and set up five in 42 appearances this season, as Juventus finished sixth in the Italian top flight.
While he didn’t have a great season in terms of output, he was still selected for Portugal, for whom he has played two halves at the World Cup to date.
Rayan
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, February 10, 2026: Bournemouth's Rayan Vitor Simplício Rocha celebrates after scoring his side's first and equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Bournemouth AFC at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Player Profile: Rayan
Approx Price: £100mAge: 19 (Aug 3, 2006)Height: 6’2″ (187cm)Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Club: BournemouthPosition: Right-WingerFoot: Left2025/26 Goals/Assists: 7/2
As Brazil’s right-winger in Raphinha’s absence, Rayan has really come into the spotlight at the World Cup.
For those who were paying attention to Bournemouth this season, though, his international showings will have come as no surprise.
The left-footer has a release clause of £130m that kicks in from January 2027, so now could be the time to get him.
However, having signed for Andoni Iraola‘s old team in January, Rayan has only been at Bournemouth for six months so they won’t want to let him leave, especially after already watching Antoine Semenyo depart this year.
Arguably he’s the best option on this list, but acquiring wouldn’t be simple or cheap.
Our Ranking
From the seven above, all players who have been linked with Liverpool over the past year, here’s how we rank them:
1. Barcola
2. Rayan
3. Minteh
4. Conceicao
5. Toure
6. Fernandez-Pardo
7. El Mala
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