Liverpool's Two-Tier Plan for Right Flank: Barcola and Diaz
Liverpool are drawing up a two-tier plan to reshape their right flank, with Bradley Barcola the clear priority and Brahim Diaz emerging as a serious alternative if Paris Saint-Germain refuse to budge on price.
Barcola the statement target
Mohamed Salah’s departure at the end of last season has left a void that Fenway Sports Group are determined to fill. Victor Munoz has arrived from Osasuna, but Liverpool’s hierarchy want a marquee right-winger to anchor the next phase of their attack.
Bradley Barcola sits at the top of that list.
The PSG winger, who lit up the 2026 World Cup with France, has already told the French champions he will not sign a new contract. That stance has alerted Europe’s elite, and Liverpool have moved aggressively into the conversation.
According to TEAMtalk journalist Graeme Bailey, Barcola is the player Liverpool are pushing hardest for this summer.
“Barcola is Liverpool’s top target, there is no doubt about that,” Bailey told TEAMtalk, outlining how the club’s focus has shifted. Earlier in the window, Liverpool had done extensive groundwork on Yan Diomande, but Barcola has now taken centre stage.
His camp, Bailey reports, have made it clear he would be open to a move to Anfield. Liverpool, crucially, also understand PSG’s position on valuation. The French club are said to have set a £145million price tag, a figure that underlines how highly they rate one of Europe’s standout young forwards and the leverage they hold in what remains a seller’s market.
Barcola has, according to Bailey, again informed PSG in the past week that he has no intention of extending his deal. That pressure could eventually force a decision in Paris.
Liverpool are preparing to test that resolve. The club want to strike a deal significantly below PSG’s asking price and, ideally, under the British-record £125million they paid for Alexander Isak. Whether that kind of offer tempts PSG is unclear, especially with Arsenal still firmly in the race and watching developments closely.
Diaz on standby if Barcola proves too costly
Liverpool are not gambling everything on one outcome. Behind the scenes, alternative plans are being kept warm.
High among those is Brahim Diaz.
The Real Madrid winger, formerly of Manchester City, is under contract at the Bernabeu until 2027 and offers the kind of versatility Liverpool value. Naturally inclined to operate from the right, the Morocco international can also slot in as an attacking midfielder or from the left, giving any coach tactical flexibility across the front line.
His problem is opportunity. Under Jose Mourinho, and with Madrid’s attacking reshuffle already in motion, Diaz faces a fight for minutes. Madrid are set to bring in Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig to play on the right, with Kylian Mbappe earmarked for the central role and Vinicius Junior locked in on the left.
That squeeze has put several Madrid forwards in a delicate position. TEAMtalk reported over the weekend that Liverpool have also made contact with the camp of Vinicius Junior, who, like Diaz, is out of contract next summer. Liverpool are monitoring both situations as they weigh up how best to rebuild their frontline.
For the right flank specifically, Diaz is among the live options, Bailey says. Liverpool have already explored his situation in the past, along with those of Arda Guler and Endrick, and sources have indicated that all three could come back into play if Madrid receive suitable offers in the wake of Diomande’s arrival.
Liverpool know they need a new reference point on the right. Whether that turns into a record-breaking push for Barcola or a calculated move for Brahim Diaz, the next decision on that flank will shape the club’s attacking identity for years.
