04 Jul 2026 09:27:42
Contrary to popular belief the Diomande deal is not dead, we have not walked away despite the specter of PSG on the horizon. They are expected to make an offer that includes a loan back for a reduced fee. Personally I would walk away from it but that's not how the STC and the Milkybar Kid work. If PSG can get a deal done with RBL, he will go there.
Barcola won't be easy to do, PSG don't need to sell and won't sell on the cheap. I suspect a move for someone like El Mala is more likely. Personally I would just throw the money at Bournemouth for Rayan before someone else moves for him, he has a prem season under his belt and knows Iraola's style of play.
When people say a true number 6, it makes me think of a Mascherano type destroyer. We are not looking at that type of CM at all. The closest to that we have been linked to are Camara and Sangare, for me they are more of a modern 6 and not that true 6 people yearn for.
Wharton has been of interest to the club for a long time, the last time we registered interest in signing him was when we signed Macca instead. A deal will be expensive, Palace will want something between the fee Spurs payed for Fernandes and Citeh paid for Anderson.
Nothing on RB or CB currently as they are not seen as a priority compared to other areas.
With Jones it's looking more and more likely he will stay. The offers that have been on the table are either not appealing to him or the club.
We have valued Macca at £80m, I wouldn't expect any movement on this until after the World Cup.
Gakpo interest is there from Spurs, if he indicates he is interested. They will make a move. At the moment it looks like he is staying.
04 Jul 2026 09:40:46
Agreed on the Diomande deal TF as in I would walk away as well. A million thanks for all your information, mate.
04 Jul 2026 09:55:53
Thanks, Fields. I fully agree on Rayan but we certainly do require an RB! That is an absolute priority imo.
04 Jul 2026 09:57:57
Don't feel like Rayan will be a good coup for Liverpool, similar to Gakpo.
If we don't land Diomande, will prefer Minteh or Ethan Nwaneri.
But I have a feeling Gakpo stays & we get Diomande. & Barcola stays at PSG too.
04 Jul 2026 10:02:44
I agree with Shakly Go and test the water for Rayan and see how much it would take.
04 Jul 2026 10:06:23
Thanks for the update, TF.
CB and RB are not seen as priority areas. That sentence alone should send shivers down the spine of us all.
Say what you like about Arsenal, but they understood the need to strengthen their defence.
Our RB options are poor as we speak. Surely a RB/ CB hybrid player could offer us that extra insurance.
I think the sooner Edwards & Hughes are gone, the better, imo. We used to be able to buy smart, now we get involved in deals that are not only complicated but very expensive.
Diomande, Barcola, Wharton, over £100m each. I cannot see FSG agreeing to that, especially after last year.
Once again, thanks for the update, TF!
04 Jul 2026 10:07:54
Is Rayan any good? I've seen him play quite a few times now, and he's not stood out as anything special.
04 Jul 2026 10:09:44
Rayan has so much potential.
He's already good, built like a tank and deceptively quick due to his long levers.
He's still a bit raw, definitely need to put in a bid, but I doubt Bournemouth is going to let him go.
04 Jul 2026 10:25:32
Cheers, Fields, I guess the rose tinted glasses of the days where you want the player to book their own flight and be desperate to come are long gone, unfortunately. I'm 50/50 on this. If we miss out, I won't be devastated, but the options out there are limited. If we sign him, we'll probably overpay, but I'll get behind the lad and hope he delivers the promise.
I feel like if reports are true and his heart is in Paris, then we'll lose him for his peak years anyway, focus on getting someone else for me I'd be leaning towards but as I say if he comes I'll be happy and support the lad! Also, can't blame the lad for his agents... look at Mos over the years, doesn't diminish the love I have for him!
04 Jul 2026 10:34:10
Leipzig do not want to sell. They have said to both parties that a loan back is preferable, and the price will be less. Expect Diomande to PSG for £87m, but loaned back for a year. Leipzig had said this deal would then get done quicker.
Minteh and El Mala for the same price as Barcola or Diomande make better sense. No way would I pay over £70m for Wharton. Manzambi and another for the same price as him.
04 Jul 2026 10:35:50
Thanks for the info, Fields - but I give up if anyone at the club thinks we can go into another season with Bradley and Frimpong as our only RB options.
04 Jul 2026 11:17:50
I would walk away from any attempt to buy Wharton. Doesn't fix any of the issues we have in midfield and for £100m that's the kind of money you spend for absolutely top class talent, which he isn't, notwithstanding that last year should serve as a lesson not to have any dealings with Steve Parish. You could get two very good midfielders for that price who would improve us than one midfielder who doesn't.
As for Jones, I think the club have over valued him, the market sets the price and no one is remotely interested in him at the price quoted, and he's certainly not worth his purported contract demands, so he'll leave on a free as I'd hope no one is stupid enough to entertain those demands.
04 Jul 2026 11:56:16
Cheers, Fields! I'd not be paying over 80m.
For Diomande of Barcola, so I'd be walking away! The wings are a priority for me, along with a solid 6, we've nvr replaced Fabs and every team needs one, I don't care how they play or line up! RB is a must for me too, I love Bradders but he's too unreliable sadly and Frimpong is pony!
The teams badly short of bodies, and will fall short again unless the voids are filled! I'm
Not looking for 100m signings but some good fit strong headed leaders who want LFC and will run through walls for us, that's what we need!!
04 Jul 2026 11:58:18
The El Mala pivot makes sense as if Diomande is a buy and loan for PSG, they won't want to sell Barcola, unless he pushes to go as they'll need him, with Ramos having already left and Kolo Muani and Lee also likely to go, don't know if they still hold an interest in Akliouche should Diomande be their main RW going forward.
As things seem, barring an Arsenal bid of stupid money, Barcola looks less likely.
04 Jul 2026 12:06:13
Viktor, we get it, you think Curtis is absolutely useless, but suggesting that he isn't worth a fee is really going overboard. Also, according to reports Forest are willing to pay the price for Curtis but he doesn't want to go there.
And Wharton does fix one of the issues we have in midfield, which is the lack of a passer. Or can you name a midfielder we have who can get us from back to front quickly and accurately? That ability, which Trent had, fundamentally changes the way the opposition plays against us.
Yes, he is a bit of a liability off the ball, but clearly if we bring him in, Iraola isn't an idiot, he will find a way to make up for his shortcomings. Unless you think that Iraola actually is an idiot and doesn't know what he's doing by stating his preference for a progressive passer in the center of the park.
04 Jul 2026 12:10:12
Fields, thank you always for the news.
Diomande is still on hold.
Barcola difficulties.
Can I understand that target number 6 is Kamara or Sangare?
It's a difficult situation.
04 Jul 2026 12:14:32
Curtis Jones was valued by the club from reports weeks back at £25m. Inter offered 18m, then 21.8m. Absolute cheapskates. Jones is on less than 100k, so that's why Inter wanted him. If he stays, then get behind the lad.
04 Jul 2026 12:14:50
Thanks TF, good update. I would look to one of Rayan, El Mala, or even take a punt, though more risky, on Minteh.
I like Wharton, but for the fee I would rather we get legs in the midfield with either Camara or Sangare...
Disappointing to hear RB is not a priority.
£80m for Macca. If we get any to be over £50m, I think that would be good business. £80m would be daylight robbery!
04 Jul 2026 11:44:45
have to agree with kingkenny7.
if we don't address our defense, we can buy the likes of Messi and Renaldo, bring back Torres and Suarez and we would still lose 20 plus games across all competitions.
we need a RB and a Vvd replacement and please don't mention Leonie or Jacquet as a Vvd replacement. then you don't know ball.
04 Jul 2026 12:19:21
As for an old-fashioned 6, I'm not sure we really see that many in the modern game anymore, and when you do see them, they are not at all the kind of player that we need, i.e., Ugarte or Palhinha. Sadiki is a robust, nippy, highly athletic midfielder who likes getting about the pitch and putting himself about off the ball. You wouldn't call him a shield in front of the defence, though.
I'm not sure that a 6 is really what we're asking for, it's just a midfielder with athleticism, mobility and physicality who can win aerial and ground duels, enjoys the off the ball side of the game and isn't thinking about getting on the ball or getting in the box all the time, but who can pass the ball forward or get himself out of a tight spot if needed.
Camara fits the bill when it comes to that, I think. Sangare is a bit more limited on the ball and his role at Lens is much more defensive. Bouaddi, of course, is a special talent, but again he is not a passer. In terms of press resistance, however, he seems the very best of the bunch at a very young age.
04 Jul 2026 12:30:13
Nice update, lots of details, cheers, Fields. From the moment I heard we were being messed around, I said walk away. If PSG are willing to loan him back, that seems like the ideal move for all parties, as keeping Diomande for another year was always Leipzig's main concern. It feels like we've been manipulated by both Roc Nation and RBL.
So that's Diomande and Barcola off the table. Couldn't care less, to be honest. Give me Mika Godts and Bowen. That gives us another couple of years to find a Salah replacement; there's a major lack of talent at RW at the moment anyway.
Spot on with the no 6 call. I said back when Grav got his new contract that people should curb their enthusiasm for bringing in a proper DM, the club didn't tie him down to 6 years at £280k pw just to replace him. With the midfielders we've been linked to, it's been pretty clear that it's MacAlister's position we're keen to improve on.
Slightly concerning that RB is not seen as a priority, but I still expect it to be addressed, albeit later in the window, hopefully not long after the World Cup.
04 Jul 2026 12:36:31
All of our midfielders are liabilities off the ball. Not one of them is capable or competent defensively or out of possession. Adding one more of those doesn't help one iota. There's absolutely nothing special about Wharton that remotely warrants £100m+, or wasting a phone call to that cretin Parish.
As for Forest it's only rumoured they may be interested in Jones, the fact is only one team (inter) have made an offer and no top English side is remotely interested in him. If he was half as good as he thinks he is we would be fighting teams off with a rubbishty stick. Jones would not start at any other top English club and it's probably a sign of how far Serie A has fallen that the likes of Mctominay & Jones could be starters for a top four side there.
04 Jul 2026 13:04:53
£80m for Macca is insane. If the club want to move him on, they need to lower that to £50-60m.
Also, I doubt very much Gakpo swaps Liverpool for Spurs. I bet he stays.
04 Jul 2026 13:11:26
Gakpo, McAlister and Jones need to go. None of them are good enough.
04 Jul 2026 13:43:02
Gregarious, why? Fernandes for £85m, Toali for £100m. MacAllisers is a Premier League, League Cup, and World Cup winner; £50m is a piss-take for a player with his credentials.
Vik, I agree Wharton is not the ideal profile, but he would be an improvement on MacAllister, unfortunately the club's just not looking for the type of midfielder the fans want. I also agree Jones isn't starting for a top 5 club any time soon, but if he was playing for the likes of Brighton or Brentford, they'd be asking £80m for him. Offers of EUR20m are a joke.
The lads played a reasonably significant role in winning just about every trophy you can win in England, albeit as a squad player, that level of experience has to count for something. I have to say he does think he's better than he is, though. Personally, I'd give him a season under Iraola to see if he can improve. I feel like an attitude adjustment (good kick up the arse) could bring out the best in Jones, there's a decent player there if he'd just stop fannying about, sort out his decision-making, and stop holding the bloody ball.
04 Jul 2026 14:05:42
Cheers, Thefields.
04 Jul 2026 14:27:25
Thank you for the information @thefields.
However, I have slightly different running commentary:
PSG were never interested, and are still not interested in signing Diomande at anything close to the price RB want. I've stipulated this for some time. They are not even sold on him as a player who can make a significant difference to a team that has won the CL twice on the bounce, and who could potentially unsettle and cause tension with players in the squad.
Ornstein's post was intended to a) bring PSG to the table, and b) Liverpool to back away from the deal once they knew Diomande's 'desire' of PSG as his only destination - his agents also hoped if RB knew Diomande would only move to PSG, they would reduce the fee.
Neither have come to fruition.
Subsequently, PSG still do not want to sign Diomande, and most certainly not at 100m, and even more certainly not with a loan back clause as part of the deal.
PSG don't do deals like this.
From what I have been made aware, it literally is down to Liverpool and RB trying to facilitate a payment structure that suits both parties. The loan back option has been part of discussions.
Diomande should be a Liverpool player, barring anything silly happening, which there is always a chance of when Liverpool are at the negotiating table.
04 Jul 2026 14:56:32
The loan back option seems pretty unrealistic for a 100m+ player - even for cash rich teams like PSG and Man City.
Also, RBL, a team whose entire business model is reliant on buying gems and cashing in on them at high prices, has very little upside to have the player stay with them for another season on loan when they could be giving the next gem playing time to appreciate in value for the next big sale.
04 Jul 2026 14:56:45
Curtis believing he's better than he is is what has got him to this point of his career. He always shows for the ball all over the field and backs himself whatever position he's playing on the pitch. If he didn't have that kind of confidence, he wouldn't have made it as a first team player at Liverpool, even after having his position changed from playing as an attacker to filling several roles in midfield under different managers.
I don't take his swagger as being entirely bad, far from it actually.
{Ed025's Note - having a swagger is fine if you have the skill to back it up PB, im afraid he doesn,t mate..
04 Jul 2026 15:06:23
FPF, I'm thinking of the message it sends to up and coming players signing for RBL, who would be wondering if they'd be denied their big move when opportunity comes knocking.
04 Jul 2026 15:31:06
Loaning Diomande back to RBL does not seem sensible as we actually need players for this season.
04 Jul 2026 16:51:10
So LFC sign Barcola for £100 million plus, PSG sign Diomande with LFC money, that makes PSG stronger and LFC weaker cos Barcola is not half the player will be Diomande!
Barcola last year in French Ligue 1 (34 games): 29 appearances, 21 as a starter, 11 goals, one assist, and that's in a very poor French league.
The whole idea of a transfer market is to make yourselves stronger, not the opposition, especially when you have paid for the transfer in this case?
04 Jul 2026 17:01:22
So Barcola got 11 goals in 21 starts, so better than 1 in 2, and you think that's bad?
04 Jul 2026 17:24:22
The midfielders will all be flying next season. Only struggled last year because they weren't fit, was it not? If clubs are asking crazy money just go with what we have for the season. They won the league the year before.
05 Jul 2026 05:51:43
Chewy, because Fernandes and Tonali were twice the player Macca was last season. No team in their right mind will pay £80m for Macca after last season, unless he has an incredible World Cup, but I don't think that's the case.
He has played better in the WC than he did for us last season, but not mind blowing to demand a huge fee in my opinion.
Macca probably stays one more season or goes this window for max £60m.
04 Jul 2026 16:31:51
Patrik, whilst I agree you have to have a certain mentality to get anywhere near the professional game, as Ed025 said, you have to back that up. The issue with CJ is that his overconfidence tends to result in him being slow to make decisions, retaining the ball for too long, unnecessarily attempting to beat his man more than once (even inside his own half) and inevitably missing out on opportunities to release other players.
With Jones it often feels like he would rather turn his man inside out and win a foul than play the right pass at the right time. Now, unlike some of his other critics, I do feel there's a decent player there, but I think his head blew up when he was breaking into the team as he was very much overhyped with rave reviews from Gerrard. I think if Iraola could deflate his ego and knock out those couple of flaws, we could see a considerable improvement in Jones game.
05 Jul 2026 14:05:23
Interesting, you said PSG will pay less but loan back again, because I think last week I shared a conversation I had with someone I know who is an agent in football (not involved in the transfer) who suggested the deal would be very easy to close if Liverpool were willing to do that, as RBL really do want to keep him another year.