Last season was one of the most incredible individual campaigns we have seen from any Premier League player, let alone at Liverpool.
As Arne Slot‘s men held the title loft nearly a year ago, they were dancing for joy alongside a certain Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian scored 34 goals and registered 23 assists across all competitions but his powers are now waning and despite the sadness associated with the news, it is arguably no surprise that he will leave Anfield behind at the end of the season.
How on earth do you replace a generational talent like this? The fact of the matter is that you can try, but it’s highly unlikely you’ll succeed.
Still, there are a number of top wingers out there who fit the bill.
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It’s likely we’ll be discussing this one until the cows come home. It’s a saga that has no easy solution. It’ll be incredibly tricky, that’s for sure.
One option is Michael Olise. He is the ‘dream’ target but considering his happiness at Bayern Munich and indeed his form over in Germany, prising him away from the Bundesliga winners is highly unlikely.
There is also Yan Diomande. Not as proven but a jewel nonetheless, Football FanCast sources revealed in February that talks have been held to sign the Ivorian winger from RB Leipzig and that an agreement on personal terms is already close.
He has been in electric form this season, enjoying a breakthrough year, but there could well be a better option out there for Richard Hughes and Co.
Indeed, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which details interest in Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche, Liverpool have also had initial talks regarding the availability of Olise and Bradley Barcola at PSG.
The report notes that ‘enquiries have been made’ for both of those players, but a cheaper option in the form of Akliouche is more likely.
Barcola could cost as much as £87m according to previous reports.
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How Bradley Barcola compares to Yan Diomande
There are not many more exciting wingers in European football right now than Diomande.
Aged just 19, he has taken the German top-flight by storm this season, scoring ten goals and registering seven assists in 27 league outings. He’s a dynamic forward player. No player has registered more dribbles (90) than the teenager in the Bundesliga this season.
That is at a rate of 4.14 per 90 minutes. To put into context just how good that figure is, the next best is Diomande’s teammate, Antonio Nusa, who has completed 3.21 per 90. That tally is even better than Barcola too.
The Frenchman is a tricky dribbler himself, ranking 11th in Ligue 1 for such a metric, but he has only completed 1.97 per 90 minutes in 2025/26.
That said, in other areas, Barcola is a far better talent, not to mention more proven. A Champions League winner with PSG, he lit up European football last season by scoring a whopping 21 goals and also posting 21 assists.
He’s not just a chance creation machine but he’s a phenomenal threat in front of goal too. His numbers are lower this term but his overall goal count is still better than Diomande’s. The France international has scored 12 goals in all competitions.
|
Barcola vs Diomande |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90 mins) |
Barcola (24/25) |
Diomande (25/26) |
|
Goals |
0.6 |
0.5 |
|
Shots |
2.8 |
1.6 |
|
Shot accuracy |
58% |
66% |
|
Conversion rate |
18% |
22% |
|
Assists |
0.5 |
0.3 |
|
Chances created |
2.1 |
2.0 |
|
Take-ons completed |
1.2 |
4.2 |
|
Fouls won |
1 |
1.3 |
Liverpool undoubtedly need to find more goals in their quest to replace Salah and Barcola could provide exactly that
Of course, Diomande is still rather raw, but judging by the latter’s best season at PSG (2024/25), there is a reason to believe he is the mercurial wide threat the Anfield recruitment chiefs are after.
The Leipzig star is a considerably better dribbler but in the here and now, Barcola’s end product is better. In the words of Como scout Ben Mattinson, he is an “elite” wide player. If an opportunity emerges to sign him, they must grasp it with both hands.
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