Liverpool's Summer Rebuild: The Need for a Centre-Forward
Liverpool’s summer rebuild may not stop at a Paris Saint-Germain double swoop, with European football expert Julian Laurens insisting the Reds will still be short of a centre-forward even if Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye arrive at Anfield.
The club are accelerating plans to replace Mohamed Salah before the window shuts, with Barcola their top attacking target and Mbaye also under serious consideration as part of a blockbuster double deal from PSG.
But speaking live on Sky Sports at 17:45 on Tuesday, August 18, Laurens argued that landing the French pair would not, on its own, complete Liverpool’s attacking puzzle.
He pointed to the ongoing absence of Hugo Ekitike and the reliance on Alexander Isak through the middle, stressing that the squad would be dangerously light at No. 9 if Cody Gakpo departs.
“I still think that until [Hugo] Ekitike comes back from injury – it’s a long one, we’re not sure exactly when it will be – they probably need a back up to Alexander Isak. Especially if Cody Gakpo goes,” Laurens said.
“You’re only left really with Isak as your nine. Ok, you could look at [Federico] Chiesa, you could look at maybe other options like a [Dominik] Szoboszlai as a false nine, or Curtis Jones as a false nine.
“But I still think they would need a backup striker there until Ekitike comes back.
“It could be a loan, it could be like the [Ronald] Araujo deal they did for the defence.
“Then also that midfield needs a bit of a rebuild, especially for the way Iraola wants to play, very different to Arne Slot. I’m not sure right now this midfield is exactly what he would want.”
So while the headlines are dominated by Barcola and Mbaye, Laurens’ view is clear: Liverpool’s recruitment team still have serious work to do through the spine of the team if they want a squad built for the new manager’s style.
Liverpool chase ‘double discount’ in Paris
The scale of the operation in Paris underlines that. PSG value Barcola at a hefty £145million, a figure that would make him one of the most expensive signings in Liverpool’s history on his own.
Adding Mbaye on top of that would push the total outlay into eye-watering territory, but there is growing belief on Merseyside that both prices can be driven down.
Liverpool sense an opening. The feeling is that Barcola’s valuation can be trimmed to around £125million, with Mbaye potentially available for as little as £30million. Together, that would put the package at roughly £155million – still enormous, but far from PSG’s initial stance.
TEAMtalk report that Liverpool officials are already in Paris, working to close the gap in valuations and drag the negotiations over the line. The talks are active, the interest is real, and the club are pushing.
PSG’s stance gives Liverpool added encouragement. Both Barcola and Mbaye have been frozen out of the first-team picture while their futures are resolved, a clear signal from the French champions that they are prepared to cash in if the right offers land on the table.
There is, though, no clarity yet on just how close Liverpool are to an agreement. The numbers remain a hurdle, and time is not exactly a friend in deals of this size.
One thing seems likely: if Liverpool do manage to land both Barcola and Mbaye for a combined fee in that £155million region, any move for a permanent out-and-out striker becomes hugely complicated. The budget, and the squad slots, would be tight.
That would push the club towards the loan market for the extra forward Laurens believes they need – a notoriously tricky route this late in the window, especially for a side with Liverpool’s ambitions.
So the question hangs over Anfield as negotiations continue in Paris: can Liverpool find not just their new wide star and a defensive piece, but also that elusive third attacker who turns a bold window into a complete one?
