It was supposed to be a relatively easy summer for Liverpool on the transfer front. Last year, when the Reds went big on the signings of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, it was supposed to set us up nicely for the summer of 2026 to be relatively easy and just about fattening out the squad.
Instead, it soon became apparent that the squad isn’t anywhere near good enough, with most Liverpool supporters feeling as though we needed additions virtually all over the pitch. We have finally got the Bradley Barcola deal done, but will that be the last incoming of the window?
A Brilliant Signing
The first thing to acknowledge is that Bradley Barcola is an excellent signing. The attacker was one of the players that made Paris Saint-Germain into the Europe-dominating force that it is, thanks to his attacking flair and goalscoring ability.
The fact that he fell behind the pecking order after the arrival of the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué is no great shame on his part, nor is it damning him with feint praise to say he’s been an important member of a squad that won back-to-back Champions League titles.
@rmn.ftbl1 Bradley Barcola New Liverpool Player!🔥💨💀 Highlights season, skills and goals. #barcola #liverpool #football #soccer #fypviral ♬ original sound – RMN.ftbl
From Liverpool’s point of view, his arrival is one that should spell excitement for supporters and players alike. If you want a comparison of where he’s at, you can look at the numbers that Mohamed Salah was producing whilst playing for Roma, before he joined the Reds.
That isn’t to say that Barcola will hit the same heights as the Egyptian King, but it’s certainly the case that he’s got the ability to become another phenomenal addition to the Premier League. From our point of view, it is key that we get behind him and hope that Andoni Iraola can get the best out of him.
Where Else Needs Strengthening
The Barcola signing is great news and really exciting, but it isn’t enough on its own to ensure that we’ll have the sort of season that Liverpool supporters will be hoping for. We need a right-back who is physically strong enough to cope with the rigours of the Premier League, whilst a backup left-back who can actually challenge Milos Kerkez for his place wouldn’t go amiss. At the moment, Barcola is the only serious option for the right-hand side of attack and we know he actually favours the left, with Alexander Isak having no genuine alternative up front.
The midfield is also a bit of a state, which is what we witnessed against Nottingham Forest over the weekend. Alexis Mac Allister isn’t quick enough to be able to play in such an open team, which then asks a lot of whoever it is that he’s playing with. Ryan Gravenberch was essentially dropped for the game at the weekend, meaning that a huge amount ends up being asked of Dominik Szoboszlai, which becomes obvious if the Hungarian is out of form. Sadly, though, I think my cries for more additions are going to go unanswered.
