12 Jun 2026 18:04:26
Hi all,
Nothing is a guarantee in football and I'm not absolutely certain,
But I am extremely confident of a deal getting done for Bradley Barcola this summer.
12 Jun 2026 18:46:10
As well as Diomande, do you think?
12 Jun 2026 18:46:53
Really don't see the hype in this lad. But I'd much rather trust our recruitment team than my YouTube scouting, so let's hope he's just waiting to come good!
12 Jun 2026 18:48:28
Thanks VG, is that as well as Diomande?
12 Jun 2026 18:53:21
Surely it has to be as well as Diomande.
We're all waiting for the news that he's signed.
12 Jun 2026 18:54:59
Some great forward options amounting if they all get done.
12 Jun 2026 19:01:31
Diomande, Rio, Barcola and Abe. Some potential there.
12 Jun 2026 19:10:52
So that's Diomande and Barcola this summer. In the immortal words of Del Boy... Lovely jubbly!
12 Jun 2026 19:11:32
Am not sure what price PSG will want for Barcola, but I would think it's way over ability. He is not outstanding in a poor league with a team that is leagues above most of the team they face every week.
12 Jun 2026 19:19:54
If we end up signing both. I am curious whether this indicates that Rio Ngumoha may be moving on and potentially getting replaced.
12 Jun 2026 19:49:01
A lot of rumours Arsenal pushing for him. Do you think he would choose us over Arsenal, VG? Is this in addition to Diomande or an alternative? Feels like it could be an explosive right and left combo.
12 Jun 2026 19:51:21
Signing Barcola and Diomande makes no sense at all.
For one, that completely blocks any pathway Rio has to becoming a starter if Barcola is signed.
Also, that still leaves Diomande as the only option on the right. Diomande can play both wings equally well. A much better solution would be signing him and another left footer who can play there, which gives depth there, and depth on the left as well can switch Diomande there between games.
Doesn't block Rio as Diomande would probably only play max 50% of games on the left.
I really don't understand some of our recruitment strategy sometimes.
12 Jun 2026 19:55:30
Regency, why so? Surely, if Barcola (right footed left winger) comes in, it is likely because Gakpo is moving on.
Diomande will be playing on the right.
12 Jun 2026 20:00:58
Iraola has a very tough job next season regardless of who we bring in... With so many potential changes (which is clearly required), I can't see beyond another settling in / transition / jelling phase! Look at last season's big signings for example.. Obviously no incomings are guaranteed to be an instant success...
Hope I'm totally wrong, but I cannot see us seriously competing for titles next season. 5th and 25 points is a big gap.... Just my personal realistic look on where we are, etc, not being negative... I'll be supporting win lose or draw!
Anyways, ....happy Fridays and if it's possible enjoy the farce of the World Cup. ? ✌
12 Jun 2026 20:01:46
DK97, We have Frimpong who, if we sign a new RB, will be RW cover. We need a starter (Diomande) not a back up. We've plenty of back ups (Kieran Morrison plays here too).
Barcola would be a very good Diaz replacement as someone who is good enough to start at LW, CF or RW. We never replaced Diaz properly. Ekitike and Isak came in to fill the places of Jota and Nunez, but Diaz was not replaced adequately.
Rio will get his chances as Chiesa will leave, but he needs to work for it, not be handed it on a plate. Gakpo may even go as well. It's a squad game nowadays. You need 6-8 forwards to get through a 60 game season whilst remaining competitive on all fronts.
12 Jun 2026 20:03:18
How does it block Rio? He's a kid, and if there's one thing that's been learnt over the years, it's to not rush these young lads. Over play him and you'll break him. Just let him learn at his own pace, because he's far from the finished player.
12 Jun 2026 20:25:23
PSG were concerned when his agent wanted an 8-figure fee and bonuses just to sign on. Apparently he still wants it from us.
12 Jun 2026 20:31:39
If you don't mind me asking, how so confident? I've heard our priority is Diomande, and can see Barcola potentially if we sell Gakpo, but will be a ton of money.
Arsenal are very keen, but have to sell first.
Ken.
12 Jun 2026 20:38:34
MK, I like Morrison, but realistically he probably needs 2 seasons on loan before he becomes a viable option in the squad. I forgot about Elliot, who might be a more realistic option in the short term, but I'm still particularly happy to start him off the right in major games. Frimpong is only useful as an impact sub on the wing, or at right back against worse teams.
Now if we signed someone like Bowen along with Diomande, that's an option who can start a good amount of games for us in the short term, and rotate well with Diomande. Then, as I said before, it frees up the option of using Diomande off the left from time to time.
Longthing, we already have Gakpo and Wirtz, who can play off the left, so it's not like Rio is earmarked to start there.
Personally I'd be using Wirtz off the left quite a bit of the time. Now if Gakpo were to leave, it might be a different story, but I still think the better option is another RW like I've described above to allow Diomande to play both sides. And then bring in a temporary depth solution at striker until Ekitike is back fit.
If you sign Barcola, that tells Rio he's likely second choice for the foreseeable future, which, when he has 2 years left on his contract and his agent has already been speaking to clubs like Bayern, doesn't bode well.
12 Jun 2026 20:48:20
We do need a lot of incomings to make this team competitive again (weird to say after spending £450m).
I would say we need to spend close to that figure again. In my view, if we did the following business during the summer, we will be bang at it.
Ins
Diomande £100 RW
Barcola £80 LW
Warton £80 CM
Camara/ Aleks Stankovic £50 DM
Vuskovic £50 CB
Pelestra £50 RB
£410m
Sell
Macca £60m
Jones 30m
Elliott 30m
Gomez 15m
Endo 10m
Chiesa 15m
160m
Net spend £250m
I know this won't happen, but I think that would make a really competitive squad.
12 Jun 2026 21:00:57
DK97, clearly Gakpo will be sold if we sign Barcola, I can see Wirtz will be used in his normal position.
12 Jun 2026 21:01:45
@DK97, Rio is not good enough to be a starter just yet, he still has a lot to learn, both offensively & defensively. I for one would love us to sign Barcola. I've watched PSG many times & he is what we need, fast attacking, goes past players at ease, plus he can play right wing & upfront.
12 Jun 2026 21:17:43
I see Barcola ending up at Arsenal - he is over rated imo.
12 Jun 2026 21:35:15
DK97, what are you on about? Diomande plays on the right, Barcola plays on the left. Rio is 17, and nowhere near ready to be our number 1 for the LW position.
12 Jun 2026 21:40:29
I like Barcola. I think people are being blinded by the fact that Doue and Kvara are ahead of him in PSG's team, but I do think you can toss a coin between who is better between Doue and Barcola.
There's not much in it.
I've seen Barcola play RW and LW, and he is dangerous from both. He started against us in the away game last season on the RW and gave us a torrid.
There's a very good player there.
12 Jun 2026 22:11:23
Firstly, I think this is just hype off the back of the vague Romano tweet, the timings add up as well, so the ITK's aren't slick, but I won't call out anyone yet. ;)
If we were to target two wingers/forwards though, it would make absolute sense with Salah and Chiesa on their way. I would like to think Gakpo is as well, so I would say we need at least two forwards to replace these as Diaz was never replaced on the left. Elliot should and probably will be kept on to be utilised on the RW as well as through the middle, and Frimpong can also play out there.
Just for the sake of argument, our forward options would then be Ekitike, Isak, Diamonde, Barcola, Rio and Elliot. Gakpo, Chiesa and Salah moved on from the front line. If we were to move on Elliot in some capacity as well, I wouldn't be against a return for Nunez on a free, but I know that's controversial for some and probably not possible currently, unless his contract has been terminated as rumoured.
12 Jun 2026 22:26:04
Setting aside the money side of things we need at least one winger, ideally two. Diomande is probably the pick of available right wingers right now, Barcola as a left winger is in the conversation and highly rated but more of a risk.
If we went into the season with just Diomande and Rio, and one gets injured, we're struggling again, so better to buy two.
Bowen would be a good option if we can't get Diomande for the right, but we're probably pursuing Barcola because of a lack of left wing options other than someone like Leao.
If we can afford him, is it better to buy now, or wait until a more established option is available?
12 Jun 2026 22:26:41
Chewy, Diomande has mainly played on the right this season, and that's where we'll obviously be signing him for primarily, but he has played a fair bit of left wing as well and is good there. But if he's the only right winger we sign, are we seriously saying Frimpong is first choice rotation there?
That sounds awful, so we need another proper option on the right along with him. Barcola is pretty rubbish off the right whenever I've seen him there, so he'd only play on the left, and I'd much rather have a proper left footed option as well.
I very clearly haven't said Rio should be the starter on the left. We have Wirtz who plays best in a free role of the left, and Gakpo as well who if he stays, like it or not, will get plenty of games. But, again, if we sign another proper RW option, we can play Diomande more on the left as well. Which still allows Rio plenty of game time, more so than if we signed Barcola, and means we have better balance on the right.
12 Jun 2026 22:27:05
Correct. Rio would have to move on because LFC, unlike all their rivals, are not permitted to ever have two players for one position. Every summer we want depth and then when we're getting it we look for problems. Like Alexander and Hugo last summer.
12 Jun 2026 22:40:20
Thank you, Victor
So Diomande should be considered difficult? Or is it a separate deal?
And I'm curious about who the other right running back midfield target is, as well as the progress!
Thank you always.
12 Jun 2026 23:00:50
Hope not he's crap.
13 Jun 2026 00:12:49
I can't see us signing a CB. A RB, midfielder, and potentially 2 forwards, I reckon.
13 Jun 2026 00:19:03
Got to love the football manager people, sell this one for this, that one for that, buy this one for this, that one for that, and then you have only spent £259m net hahaha. What world are they in?
13 Jun 2026 00:39:41
Barcola, Diomande and Ngumoha can all play left and right wing, that's 3 players for 2 positions. How on earth is Ngumoha getting blocked?
13 Jun 2026 02:15:16
If Barcola is as good as some seem to think, why does Doue tend to start games for PSG?
13 Jun 2026 05:28:54
Could be the preference of the manager Wdw. Remember that Firmino was a bench player under Rodgers, who looked out of place each time he played, before he became an integral part of Klopp's team. Maybe Enrique prefers some traits that Doue has, but that does not necessarily mean that Barcola is a poor player.
I've not seen much of Barcola, but he is quick, fast, and direct. Traits that we missed when Diaz left. He has an iffy end product (similar to Diaz), but if he joins, I'm excited to see how Iraola utilises him.
13 Jun 2026 07:18:07
Funny how most were crying out for Barcola last season, now he's as useful as a chocolate fireguard.
13 Jun 2026 08:54:56
Can see Barcola go to Arsenal if they are in for him.
13 Jun 2026 09:05:04
Bazouma Toure is the latest name today. He's left-footed, I think, so likely to be a right-side alternative to Diomande.
13 Jun 2026 09:15:01
@Drac, He's quick and fast, eh? He must be very, very rapid. ?
Fair point about it might be a preference of Enrique rather than Barcola not being very good. In my opinion I think it's more likely that Enrique plays his best team and it doesn't include BB.
I have to say that the (very few) games I've seen him playing in he hasn't done anything to make me think he's special.
13 Jun 2026 13:31:33
Rio, just need to hammer the gym and bulk up a bit, too easy to barge him off the ball currently. Once he's grown some and beefed up a bit, he will be a different player who will just glide past defenders, providing his killer passes.