Liverpool's Rebuild: Barcola as Top Target and Diaz as Alternative

Liverpool’s post-Salah rebuild has a clear focal point – and an eye-catching Plan B if that fails.

Barcola the headline act

Fenway Sports Group know exactly what profile they want to replace Mohamed Salah. A right-sided forward, young, elite, and capable of carrying the attack for the next decade. Bradley Barcola sits at the top of that list.

The Paris Saint-Germain winger has become Liverpool’s number one target for the flank, despite the arrival of Victor Munoz from Osasuna. According to TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey, there is no ambiguity inside Anfield about who they want most.

“Barcola is Liverpool’s top target, there is no doubt about that,” Bailey said, outlining a pursuit that has been building in the background for months.

Liverpool have tracked big names before – Bailey points out that Yan Diomande previously occupied that “priority” status – but Barcola is now firmly in their sights. The Frenchman’s stance has only fuelled that interest.

Barcola, who shone for France at the 2026 World Cup, has informed PSG he will not sign a new contract. His camp have also made it clear he would be open to a move to Anfield. Liverpool, crucially, already understand PSG’s position on price.

That price is huge. PSG are said to value Barcola at around £145million, a figure that reflects both his age and his standing as one of Europe’s most coveted young forwards. It is a seller’s market, and PSG know it.

Liverpool are preparing their move, but they want to do it on their terms. The club would like to bring the fee down significantly, ideally below the British-record £125million they paid for Alexander Isak. Whether PSG bend from their valuation is another matter, especially with Arsenal still strongly interested and watching the situation closely.

Barcola has reiterated to PSG in the past week that he has no intention of signing fresh terms. That pressure could eventually force the French champions into a decision: cash in, or risk losing control of the situation.

Liverpool are ready if the door opens. But they are not waiting with only one name on the list.

Brahim Diaz waits in the wings

Behind the Barcola push sits a carefully constructed shortlist. At the heart of it: Brahim Diaz.

The Real Madrid winger, under contract until 2027, has emerged as one of the leading alternatives if Liverpool cannot prise Barcola from Paris. The Morocco international is naturally suited to the right flank but offers the kind of versatility Liverpool value, able to drift into the No.10 role or operate from the left.

His problem is simple. Minutes.

Under Jose Mourinho, Madrid’s forward line is being reshaped. Yan Diomande is arriving from RB Leipzig to play off the right. Kylian Mbappe will occupy the central role. Vinicius Junior remains locked on the left. In that structure, Diaz faces a fight for meaningful game time.

That is where Liverpool see opportunity.

Bailey reports that Diaz is among the options Liverpool are considering for the right-hand side, with the club keeping a close eye on the knock-on effects of Madrid’s attacking rebuild. TEAMtalk have also reported that Liverpool have made contact with the camp of Vinicius Junior, who, like Diaz, is out of contract next summer, underlining how closely Anfield are monitoring the Bernabeu.

Bailey adds that Liverpool have previously explored the situations of Brahim Diaz, Arda Guler and Endrick, and that “all three are now players whose futures could be revisited because of Diomande should Madrid receive suitable offers.”

Madrid’s move for Diomande could therefore trigger a chain reaction. If Mourinho’s squad becomes overloaded in attacking areas, Liverpool will be ready to pounce on any opportunity that appears.

A calculated rebuild on the right

Liverpool’s search for a new right-winger is not a scattergun response to Salah’s departure. It is a targeted, layered strategy.

Barcola is the dream signing: young, explosive, already proven at the highest international level, and prepared to push for a move. The price, and the presence of Arsenal, make that pursuit complex.

Diaz represents the shrewd alternative: tactically flexible, technically gifted, and potentially available if Madrid decide to cash in amid fierce competition for places.

Liverpool are moving with intent, but also with options. The right flank will not stay vacant for long. The only question now is whether the next long-term star at Anfield arrives from Paris, or steps out of the shadows in Madrid.