23 Jun 2026 15:22:04
Afternoon Gents
Liverpool may well be wanting to add Barcola along with Diomande. Interest is definitely there, and talks have absolutely taken place.
Regarding Gakpo, he has asked to leave. He knows his playing time will be limited.
No official offers for him yet, but he wants out.
Cheers.
23 Jun 2026 15:55:15
This is good news, hope it works out.
23 Jun 2026 16:01:17
Nice one, Robbo. The midfield targets have gone quiet and right back as well. Wonder what the club has up their sleeve!
23 Jun 2026 16:08:57
Should be a great front 3, Barcola, Isak, Diomande.
23 Jun 2026 16:11:18
If Gakpo has asked to leave I guess he forfeits his portion of the transfer fee.
23 Jun 2026 16:12:39
Feel like it says so much about how soft Gakpo is that he'd rather leave for the likes of Tottenham than fight for his place.
23 Jun 2026 16:19:21
Why is he soft? Maybe he just fancies a change or maybe he doesn't like the toxic fan base at Liverpool? Give the guy a break, mate, he's done nothing wrong apart from try to play how a coach directed him. Good enough player not to worry about other players who play the same position.
23 Jun 2026 16:26:24
I think Gakpo could do well in Italy, though I've no interest in entertaining a myriad of lowball offers. Flog him off to the first bidder who offers 70+, get it done quick, but I want to see us bring in adequate cover for Ekitike, not some mickey mouse Munoz type, I want somebody who's done numbers.
As poor as Gakpo's been this season, let's not forget he did 25 G/A in 24/25. If Diomande & Barcola's coming in, and Gakpo goes, we still need another forward to cover Ekitike.
23 Jun 2026 16:35:11
It is 100% a soft mentality if he'd rather go to Spurs than have to fight for his place at Liverpool. However, we do not know if that is the case. He may have been told he is not wanted.
23 Jun 2026 16:45:14
Don't rate Gakpo anyway, too limited, so this would work well for all parties if Barcola was brought in, can rotate with Rio.
23 Jun 2026 16:49:59
The thought of Diomande and Barcola beating defenders and putting quality deliveries into the box for Isak..... makes me tingle down below.
23 Jun 2026 16:50:59
Would be interesting to see a front 3 of:
Ekitike - Isak - Diomande.
23 Jun 2026 16:53:30
Our core group of attacking players is pretty much set for the next ~4 years if we bring in Barcola and Diomande. I like how the club planned this out.
23 Jun 2026 16:58:51
Thanks for the good news, Robbo.
What is the percentage chance of seeing this three-top Barcola Isaac Diomande?
Diomande and Barcola both seem to be expensive, so right side back, central midfield are recruiting prospects?
23 Jun 2026 16:59:30
I believe Gakpo is a good member of our squad, but if he wants out, then obviously he will be rightly sold. I think he should have played the number 9 until either Isak or Ekiteke can fill the spot. He's a lot better than he showed last season, but you could multiply that by 11 in fairness. I'd replace him with Rayan.
23 Jun 2026 17:00:28
Is it sure that we will get Diomande?
23 Jun 2026 17:00:57
If that's the case we should all just hope Gakpo has an amazing World Cup to increase his value. ?
23 Jun 2026 17:03:19
@RobboLFC, Nice to see you are still optimistic about Diomande, mate. The antisocial medias are writing different stories every hour, so it's good to be able to go some place like this for a check-up. It wouldn't surprise me if RBL are forcing a round of bids though.
23 Jun 2026 17:19:49
Wow, what a front 3. Cheers, Robbo.
23 Jun 2026 17:21:20
Cheers, Robbo.
Getting both feels like a stretch to me, but then we surprised everyone last summer with both Isak and Hugo. So what do I know.
23 Jun 2026 17:25:01
If both Barcola and Diomande are bought, I doubt that Rio would sign a new contract.
23 Jun 2026 17:38:06
If we get Barcola and Diomande we might as well sell all of our defenders!!. ?
23 Jun 2026 17:57:12
Thanks, Robbo.
Great info as always...
@dbav,....That's a front 3 to Die for.... See what I did there. ?
23 Jun 2026 18:17:22
Cheers Robbo.
23 Jun 2026 18:36:42
I think it's great news Robbo has linked us to Barcola. Everybody saying Rio will leave? Where does that come from? Barcola is more of a winger for to learn off than Gapko? We will have 60 games to play this season. Would be lovely to have 2 attacking minded wingers.
23 Jun 2026 18:40:27
Who would have told Gakpo he's not needed? Seems strange to give him a huge contract, and then tell him he's not needed before the new manager is in for training.
Not saying he won't go, but I'd be surprised if he's been told he's not needed. Also, really can't see Spurs matching his current wage, seems to go against their normal wage structure.
23 Jun 2026 18:55:39
Why would he not want to leave? Every game he gets slated. The way he was playing was down to the coach. He played that way when we bought him. But the fans need someone to hate. It seems to be constant the last 30 years.
23 Jun 2026 18:58:47
We can't go into the season with just 1 person for each position. Rio will get ample opportunities for an 18-year-old. If Barcola and Diomande were to arrive, then we would have 4 young wingers all capable of playing both sides, and a couple of those (Barcola and Munoz) are capable of playing in the centre, I am told.
23 Jun 2026 19:15:07
@Redgold, I don't see us buying Barcola to learn off from Gakpo. Gakpo would probably get sold to fund the move anyway. Barcola's coming in to start as LW. Him and Rio will rotate similar to what we saw with Gakpo and Rio, but a lot more frequently since Iraola likes to rotate and sub off players.
23 Jun 2026 19:25:39
Gakpo continues to frustrate... Despite his limitations, he's a useful player and I think he'd have a place in the squad, but by all accounts he's on ridiculous wages. If he has asked to leave, I have to say I'm frustrated again by him! I don't buy some of these "toxic fan" comments either; he's not going to be bothered, let alone read comments on here.
Something just rubs me the wrong way about a player on his salary asking to leave Liverpool. Maybe he's soft, maybe he wants a change, but something feels off...
23 Jun 2026 19:26:38
Front 3 won't include Isak. Not for more than 20-25 games.
23 Jun 2026 19:38:33
Really hope they won't go for both of them.
Will be really stupid in my opinion even if Gakpo leaves.
We can't pay 200 million plus on 2 wingers, when we also need an RB, defensive orientated central midfielder, and a CB.
We have to keep it balanced, so we won't have too many holes in the squad.
I like both Diomonde and Barcola, but going for both is not smart.
We need hierarchy and order in the squad, not over competition. Even with 4 competitions, and good minute management, at the end of the day, players want to play every minute. And because all of our attacking players bar Hugo, who is injured and you can't tell how he will return, need to prove themselves, but also gain confidence that they are trusted to lead the team. Wirtz-isak-diomonde-barcola each a 100m plus singing, we can't get the best of the others, and let them build chemistry and understanding if each one is still trying to prove its worth and find its feet over the others, this is a very dangerous slide that can lead to a lot of jealousy problems that destroy the dressing room. And also Rio Hugo (when he returns) and Munez.
I know it's sound shinny and gives a rush to get signings like this. But I think it is a very very bad idea.
If Gakpo leaves, I think we have to go for a squad player option that can give us cover for several positions, and know he is not coming to start.
Schedae or however you spell his name is a great option, but probably expensive, but in this sort of profile (even Adiemi from BVB).
Then invest the rest of the financial resources in a good proper CDM, which we don't have, it's a quality we must have in terms of midfield options. To allow sobo and grav to be rested, and also give us tactical options and versatility
And also a good RB. I don't think Bradley will
Come back the Same after this, and we need a proper RB, that can defend well. To be our starting RB. I don't really like palestera I think he is a bit overhyped, and lacks experience, same as Kayode which will be expensive as hell, if we have a 19-year-old RW in Diomonde, and a 20yo cb in Jaquet. We need someone more experienced. Personally, I think Laimer from Bayern could be amazing for us. Hard working, great press, can also play CDM, so he could also play as an inverted RB. Also, Singo from Galatasaray can really be inverted, but is good defensively, and can also play CB.
Than a CB, not another young prospect, but a good experienced CB. Behind jacket/leoni in the rotation. But solid enough to be a starter, if they fail to impress. Wish Joe wouldn't be so injury-prone but we can't really rely on him sadly.
Defense: NEW RB, JJ, VVD, Kerkez with Kostas, Leoni, new CB, and Frimpong
Midfield: Grav, new CDM, Sobo, Wirtz in rotation in midfield (Sobo can be rotated with Wirtz, pivot of new CDM and Grav.
Alexis/Jones (the one who stays) and Nyoni complete the rotation.
In attack: Diomnde/ barcola, isak, Rio as our main starting attack.
Gakpo/new and Munez complete the rotation and provide back-up. And then when Hugo returns, Iroala will need to figure out how to properly use both Isak and Hugo together
23 Jun 2026 20:36:19
Eid Mubarak (Ekitike - Isak - Diomande).