14 Aug 2026 20:23:21
Hi all, updated this again after looking at who Iraola is actually trusting in pre-season, because that matters just as much as transfer rumours.
Nyoni is the big one. He's had roughly 166 minutes, started twice and Iraola has publicly praised how comfortable he is receiving under pressure and how well he's adapting to the press. That makes me think if Jones leaves we don't need another attacking 8. Nyoni can take some of those minutes. What we would need is more specifically a proper 6/8 who can defend transitions.
Rio has also had around 166 minutes, Koumas about 225 and both have been used with senior players. That makes me less convinced Liverpool spend £100m+ on Barcola and then another £40-50m on a second winger unless Gakpo/Chiesa/Elliott also leave. Muñoz + Rio + Koumas already gives Iraola young wide depth.
So Barcola still around 50% for me. He's the elite-output signing, not just another squad winger. If PSG get towards £100-110m it makes sense.
Lamine Camara around 30% if Jones leaves. He makes more sense now than Bergvall because Nyoni already covers the progressive/attacking midfield role. Camara gives you the 6/8 profile, physicality and ball-winning we're actually missing.
El Mala around 15%, mainly if Barcola fails. Dortmund have already established the €50m+ price and walked away. Great profile, but with Rio developing I don't think Liverpool need both him and Barcola.
Fernández-Pardo around 10% for the same reason. Good value and covers three attacking positions, but becomes more logical as a Barcola alternative than an additional signing.
Defence is different. Ndukwe has had 300+ minutes and looked good enough to be useful, but he can't currently play competitively because of his work permit and is expected to go on loan. Chambers has had around 196 minutes at CB/LB and Iraola praised him, but I still wouldn't want to go through a full season relying on him as senior CB cover.
So I still think Liverpool need one CB/RB type. Not another £60m young CB because we already have Jacquet and Leoni developing. More likely an Araújo-type opportunity: experienced enough to play immediately, versatile and financially sensible.
That's why Héctor Fort around 10-15% makes some sense at €10-15m, although he's more full-back than CB. Quansah around 5-10% is worth watching only because Arsenal are now negotiating with Leverkusen and exposing his price, but paying the buy-back now would be very unlike Liverpool.
So for me the squad logic is now:
Elite winger needed.
Proper 6/8 if Jones goes.
One versatile senior defender.
I'd no longer prioritise another young attacking midfielder because Nyoni has probably earned that pathway, and I wouldn't buy two expensive young wingers unless we lose another attacker because Rio and Koumas are clearly being given a chance.
Cheers me Dears
14 Aug 2026 23:21:34
What rounding mechanism did you use with those percentages? I can't imagine the chances of Barcola and 50 percent even.
14 Aug 2026 23:32:58
I'm so confused with all these percentages. No idea what they mean.
15 Aug 2026 00:02:58
1 issue with your 2nd paragraph there on wingers, you cite the use of Rio and Koumas in pre-season as reasons to suspect we won't go for Barcola plus a RW. By that logic, in order for you to be convinced we are actually moving for Barcola, we'd have to what? Not field any whingers at all? Play 9 men? What are we doing here?
15 Aug 2026 01:06:18
No idea what you're talking about with the percentages, or, to be honest, at all.
Players playing so many minutes, and the manager praising them.
What would you expect a new manager to do, come in and lay into the kids, slagging them off?
If the full squad was back from day one, the minutes would be completely different.
Jones has played, Gakpo is only back and has played, Chiesa has played, Endo has played. Supposedly they are out the door, what does their game time mean?
Ndukwe played full games even though we knew he can't play for us...?
15 Aug 2026 03:06:36
Since FSG took over Liverpool we've used pre-season as the time to put young players in the shop window, so it's probably more likely Koumas and Nyoni will leave the club based on previous seasons.
15 Aug 2026 07:31:23
I can see Koumas leaving but I doubt Nyoni would.
15 Aug 2026 07:56:51
Meaningless calculations to justify a position.
Nonsense to me, moving on.