Liverpool’s quest for more depth and quality out wide is without question the biggest topic on the agenda at Anfield this summer. On the right, the man who has been the club’s talisman for so long is no more. That, of course, is Mohamed Salah, who officially left the club on a free transfer on June 30th after nine years that yielded a whopping 257 goals, two Premier League titles, and the UEFA Champions League.
On the left, Cody Gakpo was handed the keys to the kingdom 12 months ago. The Reds shipped Luis Diaz out to Bayern Munich last summer in a bid to usher in the Dutchman as the undisputed first choice on the left wing. However, a downturn in form would promptly follow, with questions being raised about the former PSV Eindhoven man’s finishing ability and whether he’s truly the man to lead the club to glory in the post-Salah era.
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Gakpo remains on the club’s books for now. Teenage prodigy Rio Ngumoha is another wide player who will be in the first team squad next season. But outside of that, new boss Andoni Iraola has very few options, and it seems that online betting sites know it. Online crypto sports betting sites make Liverpool a distant 6/1 third-favourite to win the Premier League next term, well behind 5/4 favourites and defending champions Arsenal, with Manchester City sandwiched in between.
Could Bradley Barcola be on his way to Anfield?
One man who has been identified as a potential new arrival on Merseyside is RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, a man who lit up the Bundesliga last term. However, he appears poised to join Paris Saint-Germain, snubbing the Reds in the process. That, however, could well free up the availability of Bradley Barcola, a PSG academy product who has shot to prominence across the French outfit’s back-to-back Champions League-winning campaigns.
The 23-year-old is currently shining with the French national team at the ongoing World Cup. He has already netted twice at the tournament, scoring the third in a 3-1 win against Ivory Coast in Les Bleus’ opening game, before then netting again in the recent 3-0 victory against Sweden in the Round of 32.
Liverpool are known admirers of the player, but if the club is to seriously pursue him, the Frenchman could cost an eye-watering fee. The highly reputable Transfermarkt currently values Barcola at €70m, but if the rumour mill is to be believed, the reigning European champions are thought to be looking to recoup well in excess of €100m for their young French international. And if the Anfield club isn’t willing to stump up that cash, here are two clubs that certainly seem to be.
Arsenal
Arsenal and Liverpool are currently thought to be the two frontrunners to land Barcola’s signature, and the Gunners are no strangers to splashing the cash in recent years. They forked out over £100m to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United three years ago. They also spent some £70m on Viktor Gyokeres last summer. And while Liverpool embarked upon a £400m spending spree of their own last summer, it’s thought that the Gunners have plenty more cash in the bank, especially after last season’s Premier League title success.
There can be no denying that Arsenal are in need of firepower in wide areas as well. Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke appear to be two solid options on the right wing, with both currently in North America representing England at the World Cup. On the left, however, it’s a different story as neither Leandro Trossard nor Gabriel Martinelli truly set the world alight last term.
Bradley Barcola would represent a huge upgrade in quality on both of them and would likely slot straight into Mikel Arteta’s starting eleven. Does the lure of joining the reigning Premier League champions outweigh pulling on that famous red shirt at Anfield? Barcola may well soon have to decide.
Bayern Munich
Another that is thought to be on the hunt for Bradley Barcola is German giants Bayern Munich, although they are considered a distant third-favourite in the race for his signature behind both Liverpool and Arsenal. Should it be Bavaria where the Frenchman heads next, it would be a bitter blow for the Reds, who have already sold one superstar left winger to the reigning Bundesliga champions in the last 12 months.
That, of course, was Luis Diaz, who has since gone on to make up one third of arguably Europe’s most devastating attacking trident alongside Harry Kane and Michael Olise. In the meantime, Cody Gakpo has struggled to impress in the absence of the Colombian.
But the fact that Diaz is already at the Allianz Arena could prove a sticking point in any potential Bayern negotiations for Barcola. Would the current PSG man be happy in a rotation role in Bavaria? Would Bayern be happy with forking out over €100m on a player that isn’t a guaranteed starter? Those are the reasons this one seems somewhat unlikely, but the German giants can never be written off when it comes to pulling off a blockbuster signing.