Liverpool are still hoping to add at least one winger before the transfer window shuts, according to a well-connected Reds reporter.
The club are said to have reached personal terms with PSG’s Bradley Barcola, though a fee remains unresolved — the French champions could demand up to £145m with add-ons. Andoni Iraola’s side are also chasing Yankuba Minteh, having already seen two bids knocked back by Brighton, the latest reportedly worth £60m.
Barcola and Minteh chase set to intensify
Writing for the Daily Mail, Lewis Steele gave an update on both winger pursuits while stressing that a defensive midfielder is just as urgent a priority after Liverpool’s defensive frailties were exposed again in Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Newcastle.
Steele noted that Liverpool still hope to land Barcola this week and are considering a third offer for Minteh, calling both crucial given how thin the club’s wide options currently are — but argued a holding midfielder is equally vital, since even the best front three in the world won’t win trophies if the team keeps getting exposed on the counter. He added that while one or two wingers would be welcome, a new defensive midfielder should sit right alongside them at the top of Liverpool’s priority list.
Why a defensive midfielder can’t wait
Richard Hughes is expected to get at least one more deal done before the window closes next Tuesday, but leaving so much business unresolved this late in the summer looks like poor planning from Liverpool’s hierarchy — the equivalent of cramming for an exam after ignoring it for weeks.
Landing Barcola, Minteh, and a top defensive midfielder would be the ideal outcome, but pulling off all three in the time remaining looks unlikely. One winger deal seems achievable, but yesterday’s ease with which Newcastle carved through midfield for both goals underlines the need for a genuine No. 6 to snuff out those transitions. Adam Wharton would fit the bill perfectly, but with Palace unlikely to sell him at this stage, Liverpool need a strong alternative in mind.
