Liverpool are in for a treat if FSG sign £100m star

Liverpool still have work to do as the Premier League season draws close, but we are at least gaining some clarity on a number of different issues that have hung over Anfield like a brooding cloud this summer.

Alexis Mac Allister looks set to continue his journey at Liverpool, ending speculation over his future by confirming, through the words of his father, that he is preparing for the season ahead under Andoni Iraola, determined to impress the Spanish coach and make his mark once again for a transitional Liverpool side.

With Curtis Jones expected to complete a transfer to Inter Milan before the end of the transfer window, FSG’s stance is understandable. Liverpool need to keep strengthening, especially in attack.

Mohamed Salah’s exit has wreched a hole down the right flank, and though the Reds are still trying to fix that problem, it has been suggested that Rio Ngumoha could play regularly in a right-sided role.

How Iraola plans on using Rio Ngumoha

Liverpool have been engaged in talks with the agent of Paris Saint-Germain winger Ibrahim Mbaye, eager to replace Salah with a young and hungry prospect. Mbaye is only 18, though, and Liverpool are hesitant to meet PSG’s £43m asking price.

Ngumoha is right-footed, and his ability to storm up the channel and work his way into space proved an invaluable tool for Arne Slot’s sinking side last season, the under-fire Dutchman increasingly reliant on the youngster he shunned from his starting line-up for much of the early season, much to the confusion of the fanbase.

The 17-year-old is truly brilliant. A fleet-footed and, at times, unstoppable carrier on the ball, he brought excitement to a dull Anfield that could otherwise find little inspiration. He has been described as a “generational” talent by analyst Filipe Sousa.

Iraola prizes versatility in his wingers, and Ngumoha is going to be expected to help counter the absence of Salah at right wing.

The teenager, Liverpool’s youngest-ever Premier League scorer, said “being unpredictable off both sides is key” when reporting for pre-season training, and Iraola has shown that he does indeed intend to shake things up.

Still, Liverpool need to be careful they don’t overburden this exciting up-and-coming talent. That is to say, they need to bring in a marquee forward.

Liverpool “getting closer” to blockbuster signing

Perhaps Liverpool will pull off the signing of a rising star such as Mbaye. Perhaps Mbaye and Ngumoha will jockey for a starting berth both on the left side and the right. However, there’s no question that Liverpool could do with a proper marquee signing following Salah’s departure.

We all know the top target on that front is Bradley Barcola, with the PSG sensation having rejected a contract extension at Parc des Princes, and according to reports in Italy, the Reds are “getting closer” to completing a £103m deal for the 23-year-old.

A contract until 2032 is believed to be on the table at Anfield for the Frenchman.

Barcola has established himself as something of a phenomenon in France. He has emerged as a mainstay in a generational PSG side who have won back-to-back Champions League titles.

However, Luis Enrique opted against naming him in the starting line-up for both finals, perhaps illustrating to the Frenchman the need to leave in search of a fresh challenge that could cement him as “one of the best left wingers in the world“, as he has already been named by analyst and Como scout Ben Mattinson.

Barcola is a left-sided winger, but his direct running style and penchant for a goal or two marks him as the perfect winger to raise the bar at Iraola’s Liverpool, dynamising and widening the scope of one of football’s most exciting projects.

His penetrating runs and sharp finishes into the net could be perfect alongside a revitalised Florian Wirtz at No. 10. The German playmaker is expected to pull the strings, and he could finally bloom in a Liverpool shirt with the likes of Barcola and Ngumoha flanking him.

If Ngumoha successfully adapts to life on another wing, Iraola’s Liverpool could be in the money. Width and, crucially, pace out wide proved sticking points for the Reds last year, and by signing Barcola, FSG would settle that equilibrium.

Whether Liverpool manage to convince PSG to part ways with their superstar winger remains to be seen. There’s no question that the Ligue 1 champions have other world-class forwards in stock, and given the partnership that could be formed at Anfield, there’s no question that this is a deal which needs to be completed pronto.