Liverpool are refusing to let their pursuit of a new winger depend entirely on negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain.
Bradley Barcola remains the leading candidate to inherit the attacking responsibility left by Mohamed Salah, with his pace, direct running and ability to play on either flank making him an attractive fit for Andoni Iraola.
However, PSG’s enormous valuation has forced the Reds to prepare alternatives.
Liverpool’s window has already brought defender Jérémy Jacquet and winger Víctor Muñoz to Anfield, but neither arrival completely fills the creative and goalscoring gap left by Salah.
Another high-level attacker is therefore still required before the squad can be considered ready.
Liverpool have decided back up options
Sources close to the agents industry have informed CaughtOffside that Liverpool remain in club-to-club discussions with PSG and are willing to invest around €100 million.
Barcola is attracted to the Anfield project, but PSG are seeking between £140 million and £145 million before seriously considering a sale.
That difference explains why Bournemouth attacker Rayan has emerged as Liverpool’s Plan B.
The Brazilian already understands Iraola’s demanding style and would offer speed, strength and considerable development potential.
Yankuba Minteh is another powerful option, while Lille’s Matias Fernandez-Pardo provides versatility across the frontline.
Liverpool need to keep those alternatives active. Spending weeks negotiating with PSG without progress could leave them scrambling late in the window, especially when their attack already requires greater depth and unpredictability.
Reds prepared in case deal for Barcola becomes complicated
The Guardian also reports that Barcola is Liverpool’s priority, but PSG’s valuation could require a British-record package.
That price is difficult to justify for a player who has not always been guaranteed a starting role in Paris, regardless of his potential.
Competition may further complicate Liverpool’s alternatives. Arsenal and Chelsea are monitoring Fernandez-Pardo, while Rayan has attracted interest from several major European clubs.
Rival approaches could raise prices and pressure Liverpool into making a quicker decision.
Barcola is the most complete and exciting option, but Liverpool should not pay whatever PSG demand simply because he is seen as Salah’s successor.
Rayan offers familiarity with Iraola, Minteh brings Premier League experience, and Fernandez-Pardo may provide better long-term value.
Liverpool’s best move is to remain ambitious without becoming emotionally attached to one target.
Liverpool and Manchester United “actively scouting” €40m defensive powerhouse
Well chickens all coming home to roost…I do not care what anyone says to me LFC’s management of squad players being bought and sold quite frankly is a disaster master class, when you take into consideration players that have walked for free/big name players walking for free/ty Mr Hughes you are a genius. By my reckoning LFC need a strong established fullback to partner VVD (here’s hoping he VVD does not go down!) – they obviously thought they would get away with Joe but-wrong! They also need a back up for Kerkez (Kostas needs to be sold)…They need to sell Frimpong/and buy a right fullback (could have bought Lucas Herrington for peanuts/but Hull were smarter than Hughes/watch how he performs for Hull!. They need a replacement for Mo!…They need a real ruthless – hatchet man number 6! They need a backup for Isak until Ekitike comes back and they need to sell Gapko (all this crap about keeping him! Have a look at his dismal failure last season!) and get a top class left winger (not Barcola/stop with the Barcola pursuit/PSG must be wetting themselves about LFC’s pursuit of Barcola while they buy up all the other alternatives) it is only taking up time/buy either Rayan (if you can?) or Fernandez Pardo (he at least is versatile!)…now that is 7 I say players they need to get in (not forgetting those they have to sell)/of course they can use/rely on a few from the U21’s (those that stepped up pre-season maybe three at most (Nyoni/Ngumoha and maybe one ot two more)…but we are talking about 4 weeks to go…the usual line about LFC is they are patient and do not panic but only buy players they want to buy/well hello it would appear that lately they spend so much time on players they want to buy/that ultimately end up going to Real Madrid/PSG/Man City or now Arsenal – by the time all that is over with all the next level players have all been snapped up/so we get statements being made that Iraola has to make do in certain areas with what he has got (which is patently not up to it)…In short LFC’s buying selling has not been up to scratch…if Hughes does not extract the digit/sell players that are clearly not up to it/buy players we need in obvious areas/well good by this season as well and it will not be Iraola’s fault/but LFC’s Hughes and Edwards fault (but hey they will be gone anyway wont they! So no accountability there). YNWA