{"id":246759,"date":"2026-06-04T19:45:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T19:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/04\/the-new-ekitike-liverpool-line-up-move-to-sign-87m-diomande-alternative\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T19:45:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T19:45:14","slug":"the-new-ekitike-liverpool-line-up-move-to-sign-87m-diomande-alternative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/04\/the-new-ekitike-liverpool-line-up-move-to-sign-87m-diomande-alternative\/","title":{"rendered":"The new Ekitike: Liverpool line up move to sign \u00a387m Diomande alternative"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

With Andoni Iraola<\/a> replacing Arne Slot<\/a> at the Liverpool<\/a> helm, a lot is going to change at Anfield after an abject Premier League<\/a> title defence.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Is the appointment a risk? Yes, it is. Iraola is taking a giant leap into the dugout of one of the biggest and most demanding clubs in world football. He has done fine work at Bournemouth, but how his high-octane system withstands the increased pressure of European competition remains to be seen – as does his capacity to implement a more possession-focused structure.<\/p>\n

Still, this is an exciting hire, with the Basque coach leaning further toward the intensity established under Jurgen Klopp that fans have pined for over the past year.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Liverpool’s Recent Premier League Finishes<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

Season<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Points<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

League Position<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

25\/26<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

60<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5th<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

24\/25<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

84<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1st<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

23\/24<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

82<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

3rd<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

22\/23<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

67<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5th<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

21\/22<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

92<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2nd<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

20\/21<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

69<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

3rd<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

19\/20<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

99<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1st<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

FSG CEO of football Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes are still leading the transfer charge, though, with new forwards the priority.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n Liverpool begin talks for elite forward<\/strong>
\n <\/h2>\n

Liverpool have emerged from one of their most disappointing seasons in a long time with their Champions League status intact. This is significant, with the Reds still able to attract the biggest talents over to Anfield.<\/p>\n

Yan Diomande<\/a> has emerged as FSG’s top target<\/a> now that Mohamed Salah<\/a> has played his last for the Merseysiders, but Paris Saint-Germain are also hot on the RB Leipzig winger’s trail, so alternative routes may be required.<\/p>\n

Liverpool need more than just a right winger, though, especially when considering Hugo Ekitike<\/a> is out for the long run with a ruptured Achilles. Iraola needs a dynamic and positionally fluid attacker to join alongside someone like Diomande.<\/p>\n

According to Fabrizio Romano<\/a>, Liverpool are pursuing a deal for Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola this summer, with the \u00a387m-rated winger entering the penultimate year of his contract.<\/p>\n

\n
\n \n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Barcola has formed a part of one of Europe’s deadliest attacks in history, but PSG’s jam-packed frontline has seen his playing time dished out sporadically by Luis Enrique.<\/p>\n

Now, the 23-year-old is open to a move elsewhere, and though Liverpool are determined, Arsenal are among their rival suitors in the race.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n Why Barcola could be Liverpool’s next Ekitike<\/strong>
\n <\/h2>\n

Were it not for terrible luck on the injury front, Ekitike would be linking up with Barcola for France’s World Cup campaign. Instead, Liverpool’s standout forward of 2025\/26 will be lucky to play again before January. Such is football.<\/p>\n

\n
\n \"Ekitike\n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Barcola could help replace him, though, with a versatility in his attacking play that could help Iraola’s system fire on all cylinders from the get-go.<\/p>\n

The 6 foot Frenchman is electric on the ball and unpredictable when pitted against anxious defenders. He would certainly bring the X-factor that has been lacking at Anfield of late, an upgrade on Cody Gakpo on the left.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Bradley Barcola’s Career by Position<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

Position<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Apps<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Goals + Assists<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Left winger<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

114<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

32 + 32<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Right winger<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

37<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

7 + 15<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Centre-forward<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

22<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

9 + 2<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

Since the start of last season, Barcola has posted 34 goals and 28 assists for his outfit. Such numbers will help Liverpool out a bunch, but Barcola’s influence stretches further, so creative and intelligent and influential.<\/p>\n

Like Ekitike, he does more than what is demanded by the job description, and given the high-octane nature of Iraola’s football, this could be crucial for a Liverpool persuasion who will inevitably enter the new campaign with an element of anxiety after such a draining year.<\/p>\n

Barcola, still improving, has been hailed as “one of the best left wingers in Europe” by Como scout Ben Mattinson<\/a>, and while him and Ekitike could form a devastating partnership in the future, he will initially serve frontman Alexander Isak in a fashion not too dissimilar to Ekitike across the recent campaign.<\/p>\n

Barcola is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wingers in the world, and the fact that he does not start week in, week out for PSG should not dissuade Liverpool.<\/p>\n

\n
\n \"bradley-barcola-psg\"\n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

He is up against Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the left wing, after all. At Liverpool, he would be given free rein to explore the limits of his physical and technical talents, making the left-sided role his own.<\/p>\n

The quality is there, and he could make an instant impact for Iraola’s Liverpool side, emulating Ekitike in that.<\/p>\n

\n


\n \"Alexander<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\tIsak will love him: Big-money star has now said yes to joining Liverpool
\n\t\t<\/a>
\n\t<\/h5>\n

Liverpool have moved one step closer to securing a move for one top-level talent this summer.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With Andoni Iraola replacing Arne Slot at the Liverpool helm, a lot is going to change at Anfield after an abject Premier League title defence. Is the appointment a risk? Yes, it is. Iraola is taking a giant leap into the dugout of one of the biggest and most demanding clubs in world football. He […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":246760,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6808],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-246759","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246759","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=246759"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246759\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/246760"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=246759"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=246759"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=246759"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}