Liverpool manager Arne Slott appears to be under increasing pressure despite winning the Premier League title last season, his first year in charge.
The Dutchman took over the reins from Jurgen Klopp following the German’s departure and went on to claim glory in England’s top flight without making any major additions to the first team.
After such triumphs, the bosses backed him in the summer transfer window, spending around £450m on his new contract and breaking England records twice in the process.
However, the new players have struggled to adapt to the demands on Merseyside, with the Reds already 14 points off the top after the first 20 games of the 2025/26 campaign.
As a result, Slott could very well be fired within the next few months, but the board appears willing to give him another window to make the changes he wants to see in the team.
Liverpool to bid £86m for attacking sensation
Despite only having one week to play, Liverpool have already been linked with a number of transfers across Europe, with no one attracting more attention than Juventus star Kenan Yildiz.
The Turkish international has been making waves in Serie A over the past few months, as evidenced by his impressive record with six goals and four assists in the first 18 league games of the season.
It has been reported in recent days that Slott’s side are just one of a number of Premier League clubs to be closely monitoring the 20-year-old’s development, but any deal is likely to represent a huge investment.
Speaking of big-money transfers, the Reds are closely monitoring the progress of French winger Bradley Barcola ahead of a potential move, if recent rumors are to be believed.
Spanish media say Slott and his colleagues are preparing a bid of €100m (£86m) for the PSG sensation, who has started just nine games in Ligue 1 this season.
According to the newspaper, the player could be tempted to move to the Premier League to further his career and take the next step after winning multiple trophies last season.
However, the article states that at this stage it is highly likely that a summer contract will be finalized, but does not rule out the possibility that a transfer will be finalized this winter.
Why Barcola is Liverpool’s Equitique 2.0
As mentioned above, Liverpool are not afraid to spend big in the summer transfer window and Hugo Ekitike was just one of the players who made a big-money move to Anfield.
The French attacker joined the club from German side Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported £69 million and has since provided another talisman in the slot following the departure of Darwin Nunez and the tragic death of Diogo Jota.
He was arguably the most impressive signing of the summer signing spree, as evidenced by his 11 goals in his first 26 games across all competitions.
Eight of those goals came in the Premier League, making him the club’s top scorer despite the presence of Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak.
It’s safe to say that Ekitike has already exceeded the expectations of Merseyside supporters, but the club may aim to sign Barcola to a similar deal during this period.
The PSG star, who played alongside Ekitike in the national team, will be experiencing English football for the first time while following a similar path to joining the Reds from another top-five league.
Barcola, who has been hailed as “one of the best wingers in the world” by scout Ben Mattinson, could give his compatriot additional chances within the final third, with the two potentially forming a lethal partnership in front of goal.
The basic statistics of the current campaign show the talent he possesses, and the 23-year-old is undoubtedly one of Europe’s biggest talents at the moment.
Described as “world class” by journalist Santi Irregai, Barcola has made 4.4 progressive passes and 2.1 key passes per 90 in Ligue 1 this season.
Bradley Barcola – Ligue 1 statistics (2025/26) | |
|---|---|
Statistics (every 90) | tally |
games played | 14 |
goals and assists | 5 |
Pass accuracy | 84% |
progressive path | 4.4 |
progressive carry | 3.6 |
successful take-up | 2.2 |
shot on target | 1.9 |
Pass inside the 18 yard box | 2.3 |
Carry into the 18 yard box | 3.2 |
Statistics by FBref | |
The aforementioned numbers demonstrate his uncanny ability to find teammates in attacking areas, which could allow Ekitike to increase his scoring numbers.
The winger’s creativity is further highlighted by his 2.3 passes into the opposition box per 90, which ranks him in the top 7% of all European attackers this season.
But the youngster can also slide through opponents with the ball at his feet, as evidenced by his 4.6 progressive carries and 2.2 successful take-ons per 90.
Figures like these and passing numbers attest to his incredible ability to create carnage in the attacking third, something that has been lacking at times on Merseyside this season.
Despite his creativity, Barcola also managed to impress with his goalscoring numbers in the French top flight, going on to score five goals in just nine appearances so far.
£86 million would also be seen as a huge investment for a player of his caliber, but it would ensure that Liverpool have top left-wing talent for at least the next decade.
PSG’s star player is a player who can get fans out of their seats and could show them a way out of their current slump and make their season somewhat respectable after a miserable slump.
If he reaches Ekitike’s level after a move like this, it would be phenomenal business and could complete the Reds’ attacking puzzle.
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