EXCLUSIVE: Former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders on the signing of Bradley Barcola and the early-season goalscoring form of Alexander Isak, who has four in five
Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola celebrate during Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool
Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola celebrate during Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool(Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders says the arrival of Bradley Barcola for a fee of around $166 million (£123 million) this summer was a significant addition for new boss Andoni Iraola.
Barcola is yet to get off the mark in terms of goals or assists, but the 24-year-old has looked lively in his early appearances for Liverpool after coming in from Paris Saint-Germain. He is currently away with France for the international break, alongside new club teammate Jeremy Jacquet.
Saunders joined Liverpool from Derby in the summer of 1991 for a fee of around $3.8 million (£2.9 million), which set a new British record at the time.
While Barcola is not the record holder — that is now jointly Alexander Isak and Enzo Fernandez, who recently moved from Chelsea to Manchester City — he did arrive for a huge sum of money.
"I think signing Barcola was very significant for Iraola," Saunders tells Liverpool.com. "He’s such an exciting player, and he’s lightning quick, so I’m interested to see how he develops in the team and adapts to the Premier League.
"I’ll be watching to see how often he beats his man and gets to the byline to create chances for the team. I’m expecting him to chip in with plenty of goals as well.
Barcola during Liverpool's win at Bournemouth
Barcola during Liverpool's win at Bournemouth(Image: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)
"Once he’s settled, I think he will be brilliant and score plenty of important goals for Liverpool. However, he’s never going to replace Mohamed Salah. Salah is irreplaceable, and Liverpool fans need to understand that and view Barcola as his own player looking to build a career at Liverpool.
"He’s a class act, and he needs to produce the goods for the amount they’ve spent on him in transfer fee and wages.
"Similarly to when I went to Liverpool for a record fee, the pressure is on Barcola, and you have to produce top performances and score goals. But he is a statement signing."
Alongside Barcola, Liverpool will hope that the early form of Isak continues. He has four goals in five Premier League matches under Iraola to date.
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There are also the likes of Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo and Victor Munoz to add into an exciting group of forwards.
"I think we are finally seeing the version of Isak that we expected to see when Liverpool signed him last summer," Saunders, speaking on behalf of Betpack, continued.
"He is in great form, and I can tell you from experience that when you’re in top form as a striker, the goals come easy, and it seems that way for Isak now. But he has to keep scoring. When Liverpool won the league, everyone was contributing, with the main source being Salah. Isak has to step up and be that player now."