Liverpool have finally reached a £120million agreement to land Mohamed Salah’s replacement as Andoni Iraola speaks out on his plan
Liverpool have finally secured an agreement to land Mohamed Salah’s replacement following a long drawn out transfer saga.
Bradley Barcola looks set to make the move to Merseyside from Paris Saint-Germain to give Andoni Iraola’s attack a much need boost after they relied on a late penalty to draw 2-2 against Newcastle on the opening day.
With fewer than five days left before the window closes, Iraola has outlined his transfer approach, while fresh information has surfaced regarding the Reds’ most substantial piece of business this summer, in what could turn out to be another British transfer record. Here, the Daily Star Sport looks at the latest news from Anfield.
Iraola confirms plans
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Iraola has outlined Liverpool’s transfer ambitions ahead of next week’s cut-off point. He refused to mention Barcola by name but did confirm the club’s concentration in that specific department.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, ahead of the Reds’ clash with Nottingham Forest, he said: “As you know, we are trying to sign in that position. We can’t talk about players who, right now, aren’t ours. But we are trying to improve and fill that position as we don’t have the numbers. I hope we have good news soon but we are still not there.”
Iraola suggested that additional business was in the pipeline. He added: “I’m sure if we can improve other areas, we will, but I don’t know how the market is going to finish. I have to be patient as well as you.
“I cannot guarantee anything about how many we are going to sign or whatever. Experience tells us that if there’s an opportunity, the last day you can do something.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I have to be patient. Then we get to September 2 – this is who we have and the options we have, then we can start thinking.
“For now we don’t know. I have in my head what I want. We’ve been talking since the beginning with the club. They know what we want. It’s about closing the deals.”
Barcola agreement
A deal to secure Barcola’s services at Anfield has not yet been completed, but is advancing favourably following the announcement of the agreement on Thursday morning.
According to The Athletic, Liverpool and PSG have agreed on a package worth £120m, which would make Barcola the second-most expensive player in the club’s history, behind only Alexander Isak’s £125m transfer last summer. Sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon led talks with their PSG counterparts.
The prospective signing of the 23 year old would immediately bolster the Reds’ forward line, which has been weakened following Hugo Ekitike’s Achilles injury and Salah’s exit at the conclusion of last season.