Liverpool had added depth at the back with the signing of Ronald Araujo from Barcelona, but there remains more work to be done in the final third, with the clock ticking
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola is planning for the new season
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola is planning for the new season(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
The arrival of Ronald Araujo should ease concerns about a lack of depth at the back for Andoni Iraola, but Liverpool's work in the summer transfer market is far from done.
Now with nine days remaining until the opening weekend trip to Newcastle and only 18 before the September 1 transfer deadline, the clock is ticking. Bradley Barcola, of course, is the number one target, but he is not alone. Ibrahim Mbaye is another forward option under consideration, and it is plausible that both Paris Saint-Germain wingers could arrive.
In that case, there is an argument for Cody Gakpo being allowed to leave amid interest from Tottenham, though even then, with Hugo Ekitike sidelined through injury, keeping the extra body could be useful.
"It looks like Barcola's going to move if PSG can accept a fee, and he would be a great signing for Liverpool," the former Arsenal striker Alan Smith told Liverpool.com this week.
"He's played on the left for PSG, so it's not as if you would earmark him as a like-for-like replacement for Mohamed Salah.
"But with Salah going, a like-for-like replacement in terms of goal output is a priority."
Bradley Barcola in action for France at the World Cup
Bradley Barcola in action for France at the World Cup(Image: Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Speaking on behalf of Best Betting Sites, Smith added: "The thing is, with Alexander Isak back fit, Ekitike is going to be out for a few months, but Isak got himself a goal the other day in pre-season and he's well capable of getting 20 plus league goals.
"That might be an answer for them with Salah going. And Florian Wirtz, second season, he can chip in and get well into double figures. But I still think that they'll be after a striker or an attacking player."
Quite simply, even signing Barcola may not be enough to add enough quality in the final third. Rio Ngumoha's role will grow, but he cannot be over-relied on, while Victor Munoz may take some time to adapt to the Premier League.
Lewis Koumas has done well enough in preseason, but it would be a stretch to imagine him playing every week at this stage, and Federico Chiesa has only ever started two Premier League games for Liverpool in two years.
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Barcola would be a game-changer, and he would arrive at the perfect point in his career to take the next step, but adding Mbaye alongside him would offer the level of quality and number of options required to play the kind of style that Iraola wants.
There would be a nice spread of ages, too, with Mbaye and Ngumoha still teenagers, Barcola and Munoz both 23, and Isak the oldest of them all at 27.
With the only the remaining period this month left in which to do deals, Barcola is a must. However, adding a second attacking player alongside him is not far behind in terms of importance.