The appointment of Andoni Iraola as Liverpool manager has brought renewed excitement as the club could once again challenge for the Premier League title.
The Reds, who finished fifth last season under manager Arne Slott, were deemed unacceptable and the Dutchman will be replaced by the Spaniard at Anfield.
The latter’s mentally attacking style of football is sure to be popular with supporters, especially with Mohamed Salah calling for more positive football.
However, the new manager will not be able to call up the Egyptian after he played his final game for the club, against Brentford on the final day.
As a result, the leaders will need to support Iraola with new talent during this period, and after spending £450m on new talent last summer, they may spend a small fortune again.
Liverpool in pursuit of £60m star this summer
Despite the transfer window not opening until Monday, Liverpool are already linked with moves for all of their top attacking talent this summer.
RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande is the most stable name linked with the Reds, but the Ivorian is also said to be on French giants PSG’s shortlist.
The signing of the 19-year-old would also be a very expensive addition for Iraola’s side, with the Bundesliga side demanding at least £86 million to part with their star player.
However, Lille star Ayyoub Bouadi has also been named as a current target, with the midfield department set to be strengthened during the upcoming transfer window.
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are in “direct” negotiations to sign the Moroccan international, who played 42 times in all competitions throughout the 2025-26 season.
He also said Arsenal were among the Premier League clubs looking to sign the 18-year-old during this period, with both clubs said to have held “talks” with the player’s agent.
It is unclear whether the player himself wants to move during this period, but a £60m price tag has been placed on his head to fend off interest this summer.
Why Bouadi is a better talent for Liverpool than Diomande
As mentioned above, it’s no secret that Liverpool are interested in signing Diomande, with the RB Leipzig star being touted as a top target for the club.
The interest comes as no surprise given his impressive level in recent months, with the teenager scoring a total of 20 goals and assists in the Bundesliga last season.
The right-winger could be the perfect successor to the departing Salah, and the youngster could thrive in such a role for at least the next decade.
Most combined G+A in Bundesliga (2025/26) | |
|---|---|
player | tally |
harry kane | 41 |
michael orise | 34 |
Luis Diaz | 29 |
Deniz Undav | twenty five |
Christoph Baumgartner | twenty one |
Yann Diomand | 20 |
Andrei Kramaric | 20 |
Patrick Thicke | 19 |
His £86m price tag could be the biggest stumbling block, but this is a deal the bosses are desperate to seal in the coming months.
There is no doubt that the team needs additional reinforcements in the core, which could certainly allow for a move for Bouadi in the coming months.
The 18-year-old has been regularly linked with a move to Anfield, but his recent star performances at the World Cup could mean now is the perfect opportunity for Iraola’s side.
Any move the Moroccan makes could open up countless chances for Diomande in the Reds’ attacking third, which could lead to great success at Anfield going forward.
The Ivorian will no doubt benefit from Bouadi’s qualities, with analyst Ben Mattinson previously describing the teenage sensation as “exceptional”.
During his 90 minutes against Brazil on Saturday night, the youngster completed 91% of his attempted passes and also completed three dribbles.
Numbers like this will be music to Diomande’s ears and could see him find the back of the net more often next season if he forms a partnership with Bouadi on Merseyside.
The Lille star’s talent didn’t stop there, with the midfielder winning four tackles and recovering the ball six times during the draw with the South American giants.
Looking at the aforementioned numbers, it could add a much-needed ball-winner to the Reds’ midfield this summer, which would no doubt help the attackers by allowing them to stay high up and produce some heavy attacking football.
Spending over £140m on signing Bouadi and Diomande would be a huge statement of intent from Liverpool’s board heading into this term, but it is an investment that could prove significant in the coming years.
Both players are only at the beginning of their professional careers, and Iraola’s team could potentially acquire two talents who could develop alongside each other in the future and return the club to title glory.
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