£100m+ Liverpool signing looks “very, very possible”

Last summer, Liverpool completed a British-record transfer to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United, bringing the prolific goalscorer over to Anfield in a £125m deal.

Liverpool had been crowned Premier League champions months before, and Isak was supposed to be the cream of a transfer window of sweeping changes, securing the Reds’ position as England’s leading outfit.

It’s not controversial to say that 2025/26 was the lowest ebb of Isak’s career in England – possibly across the duration of his time as a professional.

Now that Mohamed Salah has left the club, it’s imperative that Andoni Iraola gets the best out of his focal frontman, lest Liverpool lack an attacking edge once again.

How Iraola can get the best out of Isak

Isak turns 27 in September, one month into the new Premier League campaign. Last season was a big old blot on his copybook, but Iraola will brook no stop-start performances from his leading No. 9, who has to return to world-class goalscoring form if Liverpool are to challenge for titles.

Salah has left Liverpool, after all, and with Hugo Ekitike sidelined until around Christmas as he continues to recover from an ACL injury, Isak needs to produce show-stopping results for the Anfield side.

At the World Cup with Sweden, though, Isak looked far fitter and sharper, and it bodes well ahead of pre-season training, a period Isak missed with Newcastle United last year due to injury.

Former England international Danny Mills has called it a “fresh start“, suggesting that Iraola’s front-footed, fast-flowing football could work in Isak’s favour. At his best, Isak is a devastating attacker, not just clinical in front of goal, but elegant and involved in the build-up, with pundit Alan Shearer once saying “everything about his game is of the highest quality“.

Iraola will be licking his lips at the chance to revive such a remarkable attacking talent, and when considering that Liverpool are edging onto pole in the race for his dream partner, you can understand why.

Liverpool emerging as favourites to sign Isak’s dream partner

A prime version of Salah would be a dream for Isak to work with, but alas. Instead, Isak needs a fresh face on the Liverpool right to help him bring goals home by the dozen.

As per Liverpool journalist David Lyncha deal for Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola could be “very, very possible”, with positive movement expected on the exorbitant £128m price tag that the French giants supposedly set when faced with sniffing-around suitors.

Barcola, 23, has emerged as Liverpool’s top target this summer following Yan Diomande’s rejection of the Reds’ advances, and as rival suitors Arsenal focus their attention on completing a deal for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, this looks like one which could be completed for the Anfield side.

Hailed as “one of the best left wingers in the world” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Barcola is a powerful and elegant runner, curious in the way he plays, standing at 6 feet tall but still demonstrating artful grace and supreme balance when running down the channels.

He would be an instant hit at Anfield, versatile and bearing an edge in front of goal that could ease the goalscoring responsibility on Isak’s shoulders while adding flair and unpredictability and creativity.

Since the start of the 2024/25 season, Barcola has scored 34 goals for PSG. He has combined expertly with a fluid centre-forward in Ousmane Dembele, whose fleet-footed and dynamic approach to the attacking craft mirrors Isak’s own take on the job.

Isak has always worked well with pacy and direct wingers. Just look at his partnership with Anthony Gordon at Newcastle. The Swedish striker is a shrewd creator himself, intelligently threading attacks together with deft link-up play. Barcola is likely a cut above Gordon, and so could be exactly what he needs on Merseyside.

With Arsenal seemingly focusing their attention on signing Rogers in the coming weeks, it doesn’t seem very likely that they would match Liverpool’s intensity in trying to sign Barcola.

This leaves FSG with a clear shot at a remarkable player who could grow into one of Europe’s finest, leading Liverpool to titles.