03 Feb 2026 23:35:56
Hello all,
Liverpool now understand the parameters of what it will take to sign Bradley Barcola. The player is open to the move.
04 Feb 2026 05:18:40
We already have a bradley with crisps,
Not sure we need another bar cola.
04 Feb 2026 07:03:34
I so hope this happens, a belter of a player, eye for goal too, an upgrade on Diaz and way better than Gakpo.
04 Feb 2026 07:36:44
Cheers Vic
Massive upgrade for Gakpo, need one for Salah too ideally!
04 Feb 2026 07:49:23
This is exciting! I was just thinking this morning. which young French players could Hugo and JJ help persuade to join us. Barcola was top of my list. Any other players you guys or Ed's can think off?
Cheers.
{Ed025's Note - with this being the EPL i think for the good of the game buying English (or at least British) would benefit the league more, if you like French players that much then maybe a move to the Dordogne might be in order, i would like a cap on overseas players myself so that we develop the young lads coming up making the national game stronger, but maybe thats just me..
04 Feb 2026 07:49:32
Good player but I've never found him to be as good as many make out, is it just me? Every time I watch him play he does good things but fails to come up with the crucial assist or goal, and he's always missing presentable chances. Maybe I put a jinx on him every time I watch PSG.
04 Feb 2026 08:25:59
Good player. Hope we look at Yildiz too. He seems far more all rounded.
04 Feb 2026 08:37:25
Ed25- didn't they do that in the late 90's with only 3 foreign players allowed and it just allowed the premier league to fall behind as other leagues didn't do it. Considering how strong the english team have been in recent years (thankfully with a terrible manager ?) one would argue the english cream of the crop have risen to the top. Whether or not it makes much of a difference- i think there is far too much money been made by the league to impose such a rule again.
Now- that i'm irish and a season ticket holder to my local club, it would probably improve our league if we had more young players willing to grind away in the irish league over going overseas- but i can't see it happening.
{Ed025's Note - i cant see it happening either AOE but i feel we are losing our identity as a footballing nation mate, its all about the money im afraid..
04 Feb 2026 08:46:41
When we win our next cup, I can see us dancing round a fella in a striped shirt playing an accordion.
{Ed025's Note - with a string of garlic cloves around his neck.. :)
04 Feb 2026 08:56:01
Very good player Barcola (much nicer on the eye than Gakpo), but hard to say if he is actually an upgrade on Gakpo in terms of output. He plays for the best team (by far) in a one team league. This season Gakpo has 7 goals and 4 assists, whilst Barcola had 7 goals and 5 assists. Gakpo has played about 350 minutes more football to be fair though.
I know Barcola had a really top season last year (21 goals and 21 assists) but the consistency is perhaps not there yet. He's 3 years younger than Gakpo though. It's an exciting signing on paper either way. Seems plausible too, especially if the Bayern interest in Gakpo becomes more serious.
04 Feb 2026 09:02:00
Football has been all about money for a long time now Ed25.
{Ed025's Note - yeah mate but it has got more ruthless StEA, the fun has gone out of the game for me..
04 Feb 2026 09:06:43
Why would Bayern sign another expensive LW from us? Seems a non starter.
04 Feb 2026 09:21:06
We need a central midfielder and probably a centre back.
04 Feb 2026 09:22:50
If we can replace Gakpo a d Salah with Barcola and Diomande that would be great.
04 Feb 2026 09:26:12
I thought we all agreed that we weren't going to buy a left winger as it would halt Rio's (a young, English, homegrown talent) progress. hence the Fofana shuffle in the summer window. I only mention it as I didn't get the memo about the change of plans.
04 Feb 2026 09:40:50
WDW, my interpretation is that Barcola would replace Gakpo, not Rio. I'd be shocked if this happened, regardless. Gakpo is seemingly loved by Slot.
04 Feb 2026 09:50:27
100%, Ed25. Football in England was built on basic principals of sport and entertainment. That was the identity. It's gone.
{Ed025's Note - yeah Micky i find most of the games hard to watch mate, the personalities and ballers seem to be getting replaced by these 6ft 6inch athletic monsters who like to play the game at a very slow pace, or it could be me just getting old and decrepit i suppose.. :)
04 Feb 2026 10:00:59
I wouldn't mind Barcola, but it depends on how we want to play and the balance on the team. The more I think about it, we need to strenghten the midfield more than we need the forwards. And if any, I would prefer a left footed RW or striker to play with 2 on top, even if they are so hard to find.
04 Feb 2026 10:07:22
Rumours of a "giant bid" coming in from Al-Ittihad for Mo in the next few weeks. As much as I would love to sign Barcola I'd be far more interested in a top quality player to replace Mo.
If Diomande can be that guy then great. He does have much better stats as a RW compared to a LW but we do tend to prefer playing right-footed wingers on the left.
04 Feb 2026 10:20:02
I can't believe Hughes and Edwards haven't keep a retired IT worker in the loop about their strategy over signings. Disgraceful.
04 Feb 2026 10:32:49
While I do rate Barcola highly, I would much prefer Yan Diomande. The guy is built for the Premier League and has himself professed he and his father's affection for us and Anfield.
04 Feb 2026 10:33:58
He is their worst winger so no thanks. Very skillful but lacks end product for me. Kvara and Doue miles above.
04 Feb 2026 10:44:52
Not sure I am really excited about Barcola to be honest. I must admit I have not watched him extensively but the few times I have seen him play, he has been okay but nothing exceptional.
Yildiz on the other hand, I have been more impressed with the few times I have seen him.
The club should know better though since they would have watched each of the targets must extensively.
04 Feb 2026 10:38:56
ED25 re english/ british players. Your right, there should be a cap on forien players. We are losing our identity. There was a rule change when Souness was manager, all non english players were classed as foreign including Scots, Welsh and Irish.
That caused all sorts of problems. Maybe half the playing team should be "Home Players". My son is a coach at lower league football and there is a lot of untapped talent without bringing every foreign player in who looks half decent.
{Ed025's Note - i think you are right Stevie, there is talent out there mate but it seems that its easier to just bring in a foreign player these days rather than take a chance on a young guy from the lower leagues or the academy,s, and people wonder why the national team is so underwhelming..
04 Feb 2026 11:15:22
Not worth the money he'd cost IMO. Would definitely be an upgrade on Gakpo in terms of pace and beating a man but his output just isn't good enough. I'd be leaning much more towards Diomande for that sort of money. Also really like the look of El Mala who would likely be significantly cheaper.
04 Feb 2026 11:48:39
The prem football is rubbish. It's like watching the same game over and over again. most teams play with a low block and hope to win a set piece on counter attack. The team that is trying to win the game in open play are frightened to pass the ball in the final third in case they get countered.
Boring football.
{Ed025's Note - im with you CG, i start watching games then turn over to watch "The Good Ship Murder" its that bad mate.. :)
04 Feb 2026 12:05:01
Ed25 on the Eng player thing, do you think this is due to as soon as any British player is slightly talented clubs put astronomical fees for them so cheaper to just grab a cheaper foreign import, always thought this was an issue and hinders their progress?
{Ed025's Note - i think its certainly a factor KNG, but there are still players out there in the lower leagues who can make the grade, but these players have to be coached and given a chance if they are to progress mate..
04 Feb 2026 13:16:34
If ye want a PSG winger Doue's your man.
04 Feb 2026 14:04:58
Bloomin foreigners, coming over ere and stealing our slots.
Sorry, thought I was on the reform web site not the rumours one.
Hope it goes without saying my tongue is firmly in my cheek.
04 Feb 2026 14:21:13
Are the parameters for the summer of 2028?
04 Feb 2026 14:30:34
Personally I'd like the PL to grow a pair and take a lesson from NFL.
There needs to be a meaningful players salary cap for all teams which is strictly enforced. Bonuses, signing on fees etc should be included and spread over the length of the contract.
That will encourage teams to employ young talent instead of just splashing out £40m and 80k p/ w wages.
It adds competition and makes it more challenging for managers.
04 Feb 2026 12:59:46
Ed25, I agree. Money has sucked the joy out of the beautiful game. There is little fluidity and as John Barnes said in his recent roundtable, we focus on tricks rather than technique.
In a way, dead ball situations are becoming setplays like in American football. Something works, gets worked out, try something different.
Players aren't allowed to work things out for themselves or act against the game plan.
{Ed025's Note - im with you mate..
04 Feb 2026 13:17:03
Ed025, talking about all these foreign players continually coming in and the dearth of English/ Uk players wouldn't it be a good idea that only the Premiership can buy foreign players, that'll mean the championship etc would have to produce good Uk players n invest in them n the same for each nation abroad.
I know its not going to happen with the way employment works but id rather we had mainly Uk players with just a couple of foreign players.
{Ed025's Note - i think that would be the way forward Strom, but there is probably a law that forbids that mate..
04 Feb 2026 13:29:47
Ed025 I used to love World Cup and euros but international football is awful now. I think since the break up of a lot of European countries there has been a Lowering of standard and there is too many teams in them with pointless games.
As for our national team I don't think we have the stand out stars of the past but the players just below that level there seems to be a lot more.
I don't think we need to cut the amount of overseas players that are aloud I just think teams need to give youngsters a chance more rather than playing average foreigners.
England Portugal and France seem to produce the most players in Europe, Germany Italy Holland have really dropped away badly. Spain normally gets a good team but the I think lack depth.
{Ed025's Note - i think the fact that the standard has dropped in English players Grino is that its so much easier to just buy a foreign player rather than coach lads in the lower leagues or academy,s mate, plus there is so many games to play and its just a money making scheme now for UEFA, FIFA and the Premier league and the pressure to be successful is so high..
04 Feb 2026 13:47:27
Thing us though Ed, how many top class home grown wide players are there available? I'd say the pool of talent is more like a very shallow puddle. If you had a choice between Barcola or Claire Balding's doppelgänger at Newcastle you'd go for Barcola every time.
The best available home grown wide players areSemenyo (there's no one even remotely close) and we didn't take a punt on him and Olise, who would cost an astronomical amount. So that's why Barcola is more likely to be considered.
{Ed025's Note - i get that VV but believe the problem is that our own players are not given the chance mate, its so much easier to just throw money at someone from the continent rater than nurture our own young players..
04 Feb 2026 13:58:34
ED25 re the home players etc, i belive it was said a few years ago, that if the infux of foreign players continue then there would be approx 30% of premier league players available to the England manager, so champoinship players would need to step up. Im more concerened on british players getting a fair chance.
{Ed025's Note - and they wont Stevie, teams wont take the chance or put in the effort with the young lads mate, and thats the problem..
04 Feb 2026 17:33:18
My lads are in football, no pressure on them but the academy is recruiting from age 4 which I think is nuts. Considering the already low chance of success even if you make it through the system your chances drop even further when they start recruiting from abroad to the academy too. Feel sorry for the lads because imagine being in an academy since 4 but you never get the chance to play because it's easier to pay for someone than take a chance on a kid.
Look at quansah, shipped him out only to buy another young centre back from France.
Could probably do with the old reserve system to give fringe players and kids some competitive games.
{Ed025's Note - yeah i really feel for them mate, a lot of them work very hard only to be discarded and deemed not good enough and it must be soul destroying for the lads..
04 Feb 2026 17:39:14
Agree with everyone saying football is incredibly boring right now. Certainly don't think it's just limited to the PL though. The general standard and quality of footballers is at a real low IMO, so few genuinely world class footballers compared to 10-15 years ago. Mostly just a bunch of physical robots suffocating the life out of games these days, so little natural flair and ability.
{Ed025's Note - im with you WN, now i dont know how old you are but players like George Best, Rodney Marsh, Stan Bowles etc were proper ballers and great personalities as well, even the likes of Gazza more recently mate, but as you say most of them are robots now..
04 Feb 2026 19:02:10
ED25 we must be similar age, Best, Bowles, Marsh, Hudson, Currie, some fantastic players. Not that long o LFC brought through, McManaman, Owe, Fowler, Rob Jones signed from Crewe. Shouldnt be any reason that can't be done again.
{Ed025's Note - i would like to think so Stevie but the game is not what it was for me mate, its all about big athletic groc,s who excel from corners and throw ins but dont possess a lot of ball skills, there is also a penchant to play boring side and backwards passing because they are frightened to death to lose the ball, its all gone a bit stale imo and i have to admit im falling out of love for the game myself mate..