Expert tells Liverpool they NEED new No.9 as well as £155m winger signings
European football expert Julien Laurens has told Liverpool they need to sign a new No.9 even if they land £155million duo Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
The Reds retain an interest in both PSG attackers this summer. Barcola is the hardest of the two to prise away, with the French giants holding firm on a £145million valuation for now, but Liverpool believe that price tag will soon drop.
Asked on Sky Sports (17:45, Tuesday, August 18) if Liverpool‘s transfer window will be complete if they sign Mbaye on top of Barcola, European expert Laurens suggested a striker is also needed.
“I still think that until [Hugo] Ekitike comes back from injury – it’s a long one, we’re not sure exactly when it will be – they probably need a back up to Alexander Isak. Especially if Cody Gakpo goes.
“You’re only left really with Isak as your nine. Ok, you could look at [Federico[ Chiesa, you could look at maybe other options like a [Dominik] Szoboszlai as a false nine, or Curtis Jones as a false nine.
“But I still think they would need a backup striker there until Ekitike comes back.
“It could be a loan, it could be like the [Ronald] Araujo deal they did for the defence.
“Then also that midfield needs a bit of a rebuild, especially for the way Iraola wants to play, very different to Arne Slot. I’m not sure right now this midfield is exactly what he would want.”
READ MORE: Liverpool ‘tactic’ to sign Bradley Barcola for reduced fee revealed
Liverpool working on Barcola and Mbaye
TEAMtalk is aware that Liverpool officials are currently in Paris to try to come to agreements for the signings of both Barcola and Mbaye.
There is a lot of work yet to be done, with suggestions that even if PSG reduce their demands for Barcola, they’ll still want more than the £125million British transfer record.
There’s a suggestion that for both he and Mbaye, the Reds could potentially pay £155million.
Neither man is being used in the current PSG squad, with manager Luis Enrique waiting until their futures are confirmed.
That gives Liverpool hope that deals can be reached, even if they have to spend huge sums to get them over the line.
Should they do so, the permanent signing of a new striker on top of Barcola and Mbaye seems unlikely, but as Laurens suggests, they’ve already shown a willingness to look to the loan market this summer, and that could be an option again.
