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Report: Richard Hughes now 'determined' to sign 13-goal star, it's going to be 'complicated'

28 Jul 2026, 18:00

Richard Hughes may be leaving Liverpool at the end of the summer transfer window but, that doesn't mean that he can just slack off. The Englishman still has a lot of work to do at Anfield and, unless he manages to get several deals over the line during the next few weeks, the Reds could actually end up in an even worse position than they ended the 2025-26 season in.

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Of course, some players have already been brought in and many are being linked but, until some deals actually get over the line, fans can't really start to get excited about the 2026-27 campaign.At the moment, it's unclear what the Reds' main focus is in the transfer market with new links emerging for players almost every day.However, there is one deal that, if it gets over the line, could change the course of Liverpool's season entirely, no matter how 'complicated' it may be.[embedded content]One of the main areas that Liverpool need to upgrade this summer is their attack.Mohamed Salah has left and, since Hugo Ekitike's return date hasn't been shared yet, the Reds are seriously lacking depth in their forward line.Indeed, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa, Alexander Isak and Rio Ngumoha are just some of the options that they have among their ranks but, if the Reds want to get back to winning silverware, they need some bigger and better players to help them do that.Several attackers have already been linked with an Anfield switch this summer but, after Yan Diomande's transfer fell through, Bradley Barcola quickly became the Reds' number one target.Since then, the rumour mill has been turning and now, a fresh update from Florian Plettenberg has shared how 'determined' Liverpool are to get a deal over the line.[embedded content]"Liverpool have already opened talks with Bradley Barcola’s camp and Paris Saint-Germain," he wrote."Barcola is now Liverpool’s top transfer target. The Reds are determined to sign him before Deadline Day."The deal is complicated and will largely come down to the financial package."Bet £10, Get £30 in Free BetsOpen an account and place a qualifying bet of £10 at min odds of 1/5 (1.2) or greater.18+New UK/ROI customers. Min £5 deposit. Bet Credits available on settlement of qualifying bets, capped at £10 stake. Min odds 1/5 (1.20). Bet Credits expire in 7 days. Excl. Cashed Out/Free Bets/Boosted odds. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org£30 FREEOn paper, Barcola is clearly the best option for Liverpool to explore this summer.The attacker has won the Champions League two years in a row and managed to net 13 goals across all competitions last term.His natural position is as a left-winger but, thanks to how much Luis Enrique changes his team around, the Frenchman can comfortably play on the right.This is where he would play for Liverpool and, since they desperately need to improve their attacking output, signing the Frenchman would certainly help with that.Indeed, Barcola may be the back-up option for Desire Doue and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia but, for a team such as Liverpool who need to rebuild their attack, the 23-year-old would be the perfect player to help them do this.Of course, Isak and Ekitike are also likely to help with this but, if Barcola was actually brought in, it feels like the Reds' fortunes would be turned around almost instantly.