Five Cheaper Bradley Barcola Alternatives for Liverpool

Liverpool’s summer transfer priority is now abundantly clear: sign Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola as their new superstar winger.

The Reds have already recruited up-and-comer Víctor Muñoz from Osasuna to bolster their options in the wide forward positions, but, as Andoni Iraola has stated publicly, the club still need another winger before the window slams shut.

After being snubbed by Yan Diomande, PSG ace Barcola is now top of their wishlist. However, the European champions are reluctant to sell and are thought to be demanding a fee of around £145 million ($193 million), likely dissuading Liverpool from making him the third-most expensive transfer of all time.

At that price point, Barcola appears off the table, meaning the Reds will need to assess alternatives. Their preference will be for a player with a much lower valuation, especially considering there are other areas of the roster that desperately need reinforcing as well this summer.

Here are five more cost-effective additions than Barcola.

Maghnes Akliouche

Liverpool have already been mooted with interest in Maghnes Akliouche. The Monaco winger, who is also on PSG’s radar, has enjoyed an impressive ascent in his native France, consistently eye-catching performances earning him his spot with Les Bleus at this summer’s World Cup.

At 24 years old and with three full senior seasons under his belt, Akliouche appears the perfect profile for the Reds. Consider that he’s a natural right winger with a wondrous left foot—making him an ideal replacement for Mohamed Salah—and he becomes a very exciting target indeed.

Technical quality is certainly no barrier to success for the 10-cap France international, whose dancing feet, impeccable close control and stellar passing range make him an undeniable threat. The last two campaigns have yielded 14 goals and 22 assists across all competitions and while they’re not Salah numbers—few can ever match the Egyptian’s output—they offer a window into his creative talents.

Akliouche would reportedly cost Liverpool just under £43 million ($57.2 million), making him considerably cheaper than Barcola and many other targets on the market.

An awe-inspiring signing? No.

An astute signing? Undoubtedly.

Rafael Leão

Rafael Leão boasts the star quality that Akliouche lacks, but that doesn’t necessarily make him a better addition. The Portugal star is three years older and a right-footed left winger, of which Liverpool already have several in their squad. However, he would be an opportunistic signing capable of elevating a fairly unspectacular forward line.

Leão has informed Milan of his desire to depart San Siro after seven seasons, during which time he only failed to register 13 goal involvements or more in a campaign on one occasion (his debut term in 2019–20). Across four of the past five seasons, he’s hit double-digits for both goals and assists.

Explosive speed, terrific dribbling and an eye for goal are undoubtedly traits Leão possesses, although whether they would be as prevalent in the Premier League is unclear. The forward is very capable of blowing hot and cold, something Liverpool cannot afford in Iraola’s first term.

The 49-cap Portugal international would likely cost around the same as Akliouche, although his wages would be considerably higher. A tempting price, but a risky gamble nonetheless.

Rayan

Come January 2027, Rayan’s price tag will be comparable with Barcola’s. The Brazilian reportedly has an astonishing £130 million ($173 million) release clause which becomes active in the coming winter, but could Liverpool and his former manager Iraola negotiate for the Bournemouth starlet this summer instead? Well, possibly.

Rayan, who featured heavily for Brazil at the World Cup, was terrific during his first half-season in English soccer and clearly has a strong working relationship with Iraola. While Bournemouth will be incredibly resistant to any approaches this summer as they seek to protect his value, their resolve could be put to the test—especially with it being unlikely that any club will trigger his release clause in the near future.

Like Akliouche, the 19-year-old fits the bill with regards to being a left-footed right winger with enormous potential. Five years the Frenchman’s junior, however, he arguably boasts an even greater ceiling, even if the trade off is less experience.

Rayan managed five goals and two assists in just 15 Bournemouth appearances last season. The talent is obvious, although whether it’s too soon for a blockbuster transfer remains to be seen—as does the fee the Cherries would be willing to accept for his signature.

Said El Mala

When Liverpool’s interest in Diomande was first revealed, Said El Mala was named among the club’s alternative targets should they fail to land the Ivorian. Luckily, Liverpool already know the 19-year-old’s price tag, and it’s much more appealing than those stated for Diomande and Barcola.

Brentford had already agreed a £42.7 million ($56.9 million) deal for the emerging winger earlier in the year, only to see the player reject a move to west London. Therefore, Liverpool would simply need to match that sum to sign El Mala, with personal terms unlikely to be an issue.

The Germany international, who was unfortunate to miss out on the World Cup roster, is a left winger by trade, but is renowned for being incredibly two-footed. Standing tall for a wide man at six feet, he blends power with speed and dynamism, making him an enticing candidate to thrive in the Premier League.

While El Mala lacks significant experience, the teenager supplied 13 goals and four assists for Köln in all competitions last season, despite not being a guaranteed starter.

Yankuba Minteh

Alongside El Mala, Brighton & Hove Albion winger Yankuba Minteh has been tipped as one of Liverpool’s transfer targets if they fail to sign Barcola. Having excelled previously under former Reds boss Arne Slot on loan at Feyenoord, the Gambia international has shown glimpses of his potential on England’s south coast.

Two campaigns with Brighton have brought 19 goal involvements in the Premier League, but it’s Minteh’s athleticism and physical attributes that make him such a unique threat. The 22-year-old has genuinely devastating pace and acceleration, with his top speed of 22.4 mph bettered by just 12 Premier League players last season—and only Jeremie Frimpong for Liverpool.

Importantly, Minteh is another player capable of operating on the right wing as a left-footer, although he’s shown the necessary versatility to feature on the other flank. Comfortable cutting inside or darting to the byline, his unpredictability is another major strength and makes him an impressive facilitator. No Brighton player created more big chances (11) or overall chances (44) than him in the league last term.

Bursting beyond players and navigating tight spaces is what Minteh loves to do and Liverpool desperately need an injection of pace in their forward line. Whether he merits a fee reportedly reaching around £80 million ($106.5 million) at its peak is an entirely different debate.

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