Liverpool are just over three weeks away from transfer Deadline Day and are yet to complete more than three signings.
Sporting director Richard Hughes has been slandered on social media recently due to Liverpool’s quiet summer transfer window so far, but there is still time for the executive to get the deals the Reds need done.
What could Liverpool’s transfer business look like at the end of the season?
Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz
Liverpool have already spent £94.6m on signing Jacquet and Munoz.
Jacquet, in reality, is the late signing for Jarell Quansah, who left to join Bayer Leverkusen last summer. While Victor Munoz is the Luis Diaz replacement after his own move to the Bundesliga to join Bayern Munich.
Bradley Barcola
Liverpool remain in talks with PSG to sign Bradley Barcola, and while a fee remains the topic of debate between the two clubs, it should be in the region of £110m once it’s all said and done
Ibrahim Mbaye
New reports suggest that Liverpool also want to sign Ibrahima Mbaye in attack, with PSG reportedly willing to sell for around €50 million (£42m).
This would be a very good signing for the Reds even if he’s only 18 and has no experience of the Premier League. He’s exactly the sort of player that Andoni Iraola can work his magic with, as he did with the likes of Rayan and Eli Junior Kroupi last season.
Illia Zabarnyi
The PSG centre-back is a former Iraola pupil, and talks suggest that Liverpool are in talks with his agents, who also represent Curtis Jones, which might make it easier to do business.
His transfer is said to be set at £60m.
Adam Wharton?
This is a dream signing and not one based on recent reports, but if there was a midfielder from the Premier League that Iraola would work wonders with it’s Wharton.
His £80m price tag, however, is quite prohibitive.
Right back?
It does not seem as though Liverpool will sign a traditional centre-back but rather someone that can play at right-back and centre-back, a bit like Joe Gomez.
David Lynch said this: “If they were to sign a defender, I think it would come late in the window. I wouldn’t get your hopes up if you think Liverpool get two defenders. That to me, from my understanding, seems very, very unlikely. The likeliest thing that happens is if a defender is to come in, someone who is a versatile defender.”
Total outlay and potential starting lineup
These signings, if all completed, would cost Liverpool around £386m before sales.
Liverpool are famous for their ability to make surprisingly big sales and from Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo, they stand to make around £100m back before any other departures. The free agent exits of Mo Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate now look even more damaging when you consider the trio could have easily fetched £120m collectively which would have made it £200m in sales this summer.
Potential starting XI*: Alisson, Bradley, Zabarnyi, van Dijk, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Wharton, Wirtz, Mbaye, Isak, Barcola.
*Assumes every Liverpool player is fit and healthy and the above signings are completed.