Liverpool in talks to sign £69m Diomande alternative

Mohamed Salah scored one goal and set up another as Egypt defeated New Zealand to rise to the top of Group G in the World Cup, reminding Liverpool of the superstar quality they have now lost.

In truth, Salah fell well below the standards he had set for himself over so many illustrious years at Anfield, but there’s a sense that the 34-year-old might have enjoyed richer returns had he been playing in a more stable system.

Arne Slot has indeed been fired, replaced by Andoni Iraola. The Spanish tactician has done a fine job with Bournemouth over the past three seasons, securing passage into the Europa League for the Cherries last month.

Liverpool, 2024/25 Premier League champions, slumped to a fifth-place finish last year, narrowly ahead of Bournemouth. Change was needed, but not just in the dugout. Salah needs replacing too.

Liverpool maintaining talks for Champions League winger

Liverpool have already strengthened out wide with the signing of Victor Munoz, hijacking Newcastle United’s bid for the Osasuna winger after activating his £34.5m release clause.

Now, priority is being turned toward RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande, who has been picked to replace Salah on the right. Currently out at the World Cup with Ivory Coast, the 19-year-old has already been the subject of a rejected bid from Liverpool, who are expected to go again.

Perhaps that is where Liverpool will draw the line. But then again, perhaps not. FSG are braced for offers for Cody Gakpo, who Tottenham Hotspur are interested in, having already opened initial talks with intermediaries.

If that’s the case, Munoz, who can play across the frontline, may not be enough for Liverpool’s new-look left side.

According to Fabrizio Romanospeaking to Born n’ Red, Liverpool are still in contact with Bradley Barcola’s representatives as they look to complete a deal this summer. As Romano puts it, much depends on further outgoings at Anfield.

The France superstar, 23, has been the subject of internal Liverpool discussions for weeks, and while he is at a contractual impasse with Paris Saint-Germain, he has been valued at £69m and is also coveted by Arsenal.

In full, Romano said: “Liverpool are maintaining contacts for Diomande and Barcola. It is at completely different stages. For Diomande they already sent an official bid and are speaking to Leipzig. With Barcola, internally at Liverpool they are discussing him every single week. Liverpool love Barcola and I’m sure if PSG open the doors for him to leave, Liverpool could be there.”

It’s curious that Liverpool wanted him in 2025. That door was slammed shut by the French champions. Liverpool aren’t a unit to give up easily on a top target, though, and there is a recognition that Barcola could help shape the new era at Anfield.

Why Barcola can be Liverpool’s star summer signing

Despite the myriad of variables that have yet to paint a clear picture vis-a-vis Liverpool’s wider summer strategy, we can say with confidence that a bid for Barcola is not out of the realm of possibility.

The Frenchman is one of the most exciting talents in the world, hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson as “one of the best left wingers in the world“. Since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, he has scored 34 goals and supplied 28 assists for PSG.

Diomande and Munoz are both immensely talented, but they are still relatively unproven. We saw that with Diomande as Ivory Coast narrowly lost to Germany on Saturday evening, the teenager putting in a threatening but flawed performance.

Munoz has yet to break from the bench at the World Cup with Spain, but that is not to his discredit. However, he only scored six goals and supplied two assists for Osasuna in La Liga last season, so whether he would stand proud as a talisman for Liverpool next season is a big question.

Barcola, by contrast, took his chance when chucked onto the field by Didier Deschamps for Les Bleus, scoring a tidy goal to consolidate France’s advantage over Senegal.

The magnitude of Salah’s departure cannot be understated. The X-factor is a real thing in football, and Salah has received the golden buzzer any number of times throughout his long and journeyed Liverpool career. He is one of the Premier League’s all-time great difference-makers; does Diomande have the maturity and skilled attacking edge to mimic that?

Barcola might not boast numbers on a level with prime Salah, but his time in Paris has been laden with silverware. He has formed a part of one of Europe’s great modern attacks.

Whether Liverpool bite the bullet and spend even more money on a big-money forward remains to be seen, but it does feel like Barcola would trump the likes of Munoz and Diomande, raw and exciting talents who probably need a bit of time to adapt to the English game.