£85m superstar now wants to sign for Liverpool

The morning of Saturday the 30th of May was a quiet one for Liverpool fans, until the bombshell of Arne Slot’s sacking was confirmed at around lunchtime.

The Dutchman struggled to emulate his Premier League title success from his debut campaign at the helm, subsequently only leading the Reds to fifth place in 2025/26.

As a result, huge pressure was mounting on the 47-year-old, with the hierarchy making the huge call to part ways with the manager after an end-of-season review.

The board have wasted no time in targeting a replacement, leading to departing Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola being set to take over on Merseyside in the coming days.

A move for the Spaniard will allow for a needed fresh start at Anfield, which could see multiple new additions follow the 43-year-old in making the move ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Liverpool advancing talks to sign £85m superstar

Even before Slot was handed his marching orders, the Liverpool hierarchy made landing a new attacker a top priority for the summer transfer window.

PSG winger Bradley Barcola has been mentioned as one potential option, with the Frenchman a player who could be allowed to depart the Ligue 1 giants during the off-season.

The 23-year-old has fallen behind Kvicha Kvaratskhelia in recent months, leading to a £87m price tag being mooted ahead of any possible summer swoop.

Barcola isn’t the only attacker in the Reds’ sights at present, with RB Leipzig talent Yan Diomande once again being touted as one of the club’s top transfer targets.

According to Spanish outlet Sport, Liverpool have advanced talks with the player’s representatives in recent days over the possibility of a switch to Anfield.

The report also claims that Champions League winners PSG are also in the race for the Ivorian’s signature, but the player currently prefers a move to the Premier League and Liverpool where he has been guaranteed a starting berth.

Any deal would be yet another big-money one for the club, as the Bundesliga side are demanding at least £85m to offload the 19-year-old attacker this summer.

Why Diomande joining Liverpool would be bad news for Ngumoha

One of Slot’s biggest failures as Liverpool manager was his refusal to utilise 17-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha on a consistent basis – often preferring Cody Gakpo off the left-hand side of the attack.

The teenager has enjoyed a phenomenal breakthrough campaign at Anfield, with his goal off the bench against Newcastle United back in August the start of his rise to stardom.

Whilst he started five games in the Premier League this term, the fans have voiced their displeasure at Slot in recent months – especially after substituting him in the 67th minute against Chelsea.

The arrival of Iraola could hand the teenager a fresh lease of life on Merseyside next term, with the Spaniard needing to show more faith in the youngster than Slot did in 2025/26.

However, a move for Diomande could once again see the youngster be frustrated, with the big-money transfer target a player who can operate off the left and right-flank.

Whilst he will likely operate off the right and replace the departing Mohamed Salah, there is a chance he can operate off the opposite side ahead of Ngumoha.

The Ivorian would undoubtedly cost a pretty penny this summer, but it’s a deal that will inject needed quality into the club’s frontline under the guidance of Iraola.

Diomande, who’s been labelled “unstoppable” by journalist Bence Bocsak, completed a staggering 4.3 successful dribbles per 90 during the recent campaign in the Bundesliga.

Such a tally was the highest of any player in Germany’s top-flight, subsequently highlighting his phenomenal ability to get past the opposition with ease.

The teenager has also been able to put the end product to his mazy runs in Leipzig, as seen by his remarkable tally of 20 combined goals and assists this term.

The aforementioned tally is higher than any first-team member currently on the books at Anfield, with Diomande a player who can transform the attack under Iraola.

Out of possession, the 19-year-old has also demonstrated his quality, subsequently winning possession back 1.1 times per 90 in the final third – a tally higher than 92% of attackers in Europe.

Iraola’s system demands a huge amount of pressure on the opposition, which could see Diomande be a leading figure during the new era at Merseyside in 2026/27.

£85m for the winger’s signature would no doubt be a massive statement of intent from the hierarchy, with the youngster able to star at Anfield for many years to come.

His arrival could see Ngumoha fall further down the pecking order, with the new manager desperately needing to find the right balance on Merseyside next season.

However, Diomande’s pending move would bring needed excitement back into the fanbase after the disappointing 2025/26 campaign under the recently departed Slot.