We asked for your burning questions regards the goings on at Anfield and our Chief Liverpool Correspondent Ian Doyle has provided the answers
Paris Saint-Germain and France superstar Bradley Barcola is wanted by Liverpool
Paris Saint-Germain and France superstar Bradley Barcola is wanted by Liverpool
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Barely a week to go. With Liverpool now putting the final touches to their pre-season preparations under new head coach Andoni Iraola, the focus is very much on the opening of the Premier League campaign at Newcastle United next Sunday.
Of course, there is still work to be done in the transfer market with the Reds having seen long-time squad members Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate all walk away for nothing at the end of last season.
We have been asking for your questions on the current state of play at Anfield, and here we take a punt at providing some answers...
Paul F asks: The Bradley Barcola situation is worryingly similar to Alexander Isak last year - player keen to move, drawn out negotiations, big difference in valuations, likely to go down to the wire and the player arrives at an exorbitant fee having had very little pre-season, missing the start of the season, and taking a while to get up to speed. Should we be walking away from these kind of processes, or is this just how things work now?
It may look like they are the same, but they are in reality very different. For a start, Barcola hasn't downed tools at Paris Saint-Germain nor been told to stay away from the club - he was on the bench for the UEFA Super Cup win over Aston Villa in midweek.
There also won't be any worries about his fitness, as he was playing in the World Cup less than a month ago and has been training normally with PSG.
The main point, of course, is that he will cost a lot of money, and Liverpool have shown themselves unwilling to meet the valuation of PSG, similar to that with Newcastle United last year over Isak before a still rather expensive compromise was reached.
The Reds will be looking to do this again, and while it's not ideal that Barcola would be coming in so late in the window, it's not quite as worrying as what happened with Isak. He'd probably be able to hit the ground running.
Transfer sagas are nothing new. The only thing that has changed is the demand from supporters to have updates every hour and the willingness of some media outlets and personalities to provide them. In reality, sometimes nothing can happen for large stretches of time because clubs are negotiating far more than just one deal for one player.
And in fairness, Liverpool have usually avoided the mad scramble before the deadline for most of their signings. Look at Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Munoz and loan arrival Ronald Araujo.
James asks: How many players do you think Liverpool need to sign before the window closes? And how many do you think will actually be signed?
For me, they still need two forwards and a defensive midfielder. The latter, though, will only happen should one or more of the currently engine room options depart the club, with Curtis Jones the most likely given he is in the last 12 months of his deal. Harvey Elliott and Wataru Endo are in similar positions.
A right winger is a must, which is what makes it curious that Barcola predominantly plays on the left, where new signing Munoz usually operates. Does this mean Cody Gakpo is being sold? What does it mean for Rio Ngumoha? Or is Barcola being seen as a right-winger?
If not the latter, then Liverpool are definitely going to need to bring in somebody on the right in addition, should the Barcola deal get over the line.
There will be definitely be one more high-profile deal for Liverpool this window. But any more may well be determined by players leaving.
Red 1985 asks: Do you think FSG are making plans to exit? This consortium business seems to suggest so.
Every business has an exit strategy and Fenway Sports Group are no different. There's no indication they are interested in selling up any time soon, but you have to bear in mind FSG chiefs John Henry and Tom Werner are both 76 years of age and appear sensible enough to know they can't go on forever.
Perhaps this consortium is the latest step towards that, which is what makes it so important that it is right for Liverpool. FSG aren't handing over the keys just yet but they are opening the door and letting an increasing number of people in to share their home, so to speak.
Alex asks: When will we see Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni back and available?
None of these players have had an exact timeline set for their returns so it is difficult to say without being around them continually and knowing their respective recovery stages.
Ekitike, though, has himself set a comeback date of Boxing Day, although the severity of his Achilles injury suggests it won't be until next season that he is properly back and firing fully.
Bradley has been out since early January and Liverpool are keen not to rush or overburden the right-back. Leoni is getting a lot closer to a return among first-team training, although after almost a year out he too is going to be treated with kid gloves and will see minutes limited before Christmas.
Emmanuel Ademu asks: My question is that we need a very good and talented player for that Mohamed Salah position - what are we doing about it currently?
The ongoing pursuit of Barcola would probably answer that question, even though, as previously stated, he's been a left winger for much of his career.
There is absolutely no point in replacing Mohamed Salah like-for-like given the player was a one-off and had an attack built around him for the best part of a decade.
Liverpool are now building around Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz and any signings or positional moves will be to best serve that duo. None of that, however, should detract from the fact the Reds do need more attacking reinforcements.