Liverpool in contract talks with ‘one of the best LWs in the world’

Against Arsenal, Liverpool looked a bit closer to title challengers than they have in most games this season, showing grit and determination to stop the Premier League’s winning streak of top teams.

Meanwhile, Arne Slott showed strong tactical acumen for last year’s title, negating the hosts’ attacking threat and reducing the hosts’ xG total to 0.57 throughout the night.

There is still no question that defensive reinforcements will be essential this year, perhaps this month, as FSG look to add young prospects to their Anfield squad while also keeping an eye on bigger fish.

But Liverpool also need a new wide forward. The decision not to replace Luis Diaz after he was sold to Bayern Munich in August has hampered the Reds, with sporting director Richard Hughes ready to sign a new star.

Liverpool to sign left winger

Antoine Semenyo has been one of the most in-form and in-demand wingers in the Premier League this season, scoring 10 goals and providing three assists for Bournemouth.

Despite interest from Liverpool and a call from Hughes in November, he signed for Manchester City this week.

It’s shocking that the two-faced winger has shown so many of the skills that Slott needs on the Red Army’s front line. But perhaps an even bigger prize awaits.

Liverpool are interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola and are in preliminary talks with the Ligue 1 champions to sign him this month, according to sources in Spain.

Barcola, 23, is engaged in long-term contract negotiations with his employers, and PSG are confident they can tie Barcola to a long-term deal.

Why Bradley Barcola could be the new Salah

It’s only been two and a half years since Barcola joined PSG from divisional rivals Lyon as an untested player, but he has gone from strength to strength since his arrival, scoring 31 goals and providing 34 assists in 126 games across all competitions.

Hailed by journalist Santi Irregui as a key part of PSG’s “world-class” front line, Barcola scored 21 goals and assisted in each of their historic quintuplets last season, flashing his quick footwork and sharp playmaking skills to complement his insatiable hunger for goals.

However, he’s more than just a skill finisher. According to data-driven platform FBref, Les Bleus’ talent ranks in the top 6% of players by position in Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion rate, top 16% for progressive carries and top 15% for shot creation actions per 90 over the past year.

This wide range of qualities, underlying his incredible ability to score and assist in the final third, could even see Barcola step into the role of Liverpool’s new version of Mohamed Salah, with the 33-year-old’s decline increasing the need for a new winger.

Barcola would likely be the perfect addition if Semenyo is off the cards. He can deliver on the biggest stage in the same way that Salah has captivated everyone at Liverpool for many years.

However, Salah has certainly not been very good this year, which is why FSG is pushing Barcola. FBref named the aforementioned Diaz as one of his most comparable players, further highlighting the similarities with Salah in his athletic prime.

Barcola, on the other hand, is rapidly growing and getting stronger with each season. He still has room to grow, but that didn’t stop analyst Ben Mattinson from declaring him “one of the best left wingers in Europe”.

It remains to be seen whether Salah played his final game for Liverpool, or whether he will sit out the rest of the campaign or actually fulfill the remainder of his £400,000-a-week contract.

But the plain truth is that Salah is nearing the twilight of his illustrious career, and signing Barcola would give Slott a new talisman, physical and rugged, with signs of clinical superiority to rival the king of Egypt.