Liverpool hold talks to sign “one of the best in the world”

The old adage claims that 12 months is a long time in football, something which has been evident at Liverpool Football Club under Arne Slot throughout the ongoing campaign.

The Dutchman’s debut campaign saw the Reds lift the Premier League title, leading to many expecting huge things from the manager during his tenure at Anfield.

However, even after a £450m spending spree during the summer transfer window, his side have massively regressed throughout the 2025/26 campaign.

The Reds are 15 points off the summit of the division and only battling for a top five finish after being knocked out of every other cup competition this term.

As a result, pressure has been building on the manager’s shoulders, but it appears as though he may be given the upcoming summer window to make the desired changes to his squad.

Liverpool make £62m sensation their top summer target

After Mohamed Salah announced his departure from Liverpool at the end of the season, huge expectations have been placed on the hierarchy to replace the fan-favourite.

RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande has been one player consistently linked with a move to Anfield, even being touted as one of the club’s priority targets this summer.

However, any deal for the Ivorian international would be an expensive one, as the Bundesliga side are said to be demanding €100m (£87m) to offload the teenager.

As a result, other options are now being targeted by the Reds hierarchy, with PSG star Bradley Barcola another attacker currently in their sights ahead of the off-season.

According to TEAMtalk, Slot’s men are starting to turn their attention to the Frenchman should they miss out on a deal for Diomande during the summer window.

The report also states that the 23-year-old is rapidly emerging as the club’s number one target this summer, with a bargain deal potentially on the cards.

TEAMtalk confirm that Liverpool have already made contact with PSG to establish whether Barcola is for sale but have so far been met with resistance. That, however, could change if Diomande moves to Paris. Indeed, the French champions are also battling Liverpool to secure his services.

Big-money will still have to be spent to secure the winger’s signature, but he could be available for a cut-price fee of £62m when the transfer window opens.

Why Barcola would be a better signing than Diomande

As previously mentioned, Diomande continued to be touted as one of Liverpool’s main targets ahead of the summer window, but now face huge competition from PSG for his services.

The 19-year-old has enjoyed a huge breakout year in Germany this term, as seen by his remarkable tally of 13 goals and eight assists across all competitions.

However, caution should be taken around any deal for the teenage star, with this campaign his first in Europe’s top-five leagues – which could make him a one-season wonder.

That, coupled with his mammoth transfer fee, could lead to a recipe for disaster for the Reds, as they try to avoid the failures of last summer’s £450m spending spree.

As a result, Barcola could prove to be a more attractive option for Slot’s men, especially considering his experience in thriving in the Champions League in recent years.

“One of the best wingers in the world” in the words of Como scout Ben Mattinson, the French winger registered seven combined goals and assists in such a competition last season, subsequently helping the Parisians claim European glory over Inter Milan.

His experience in such a competition is undoubtedly a huge selling point, but he’s also managed to outperform Diomande in numerous key areas throughout the ongoing campaign.

He’s achieved a 48% shot on target accuracy rate in Ligue 1 this campaign, whilst also registering a staggering 1.8 shots on target per 90 – with both tallies higher than those of the Ivorian.

The latter of the aforementioned tallies has enabled him to score 10 goals in France’s top-flight, whilst also ranking him in the top 7% of attackers in the division.

Away from his goalscoring ability, Barcola has also managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst creating a higher tally of chances per 90.

He’s often been a constant nuisance to the opposition over recent months, as seen by his phenomenal tally of 8.8 touches in the opposition box per 90.

Like his shots on target, it also ranks him highly amongst other players in Ligue 1, with the winger achieving more touches than 97% of other players in his position.

The threat largely comes from his take-on success, as seen by his 2.1 successful dribbles per 90, which has allowed him to ghost into the box and often find the back of the net.

Despite his success, many fans would still prefer a move for Diomande this summer – especially considering the consistent links over a deal for the Ivorian.

However, the Reds hierarchy desperately need to put all of their focus into a move for Barcola, with the Frenchman certainly a proven top-level star in need of a new challenge.