Liverpool are set for a frantic final 48 hours of the transfer market as Andoni Iraola, not only in search of his first Premier League win in charge of the Reds, is also looking for further additions. Bradley Barcola is set to put the finishing touches on his £123million transfer from Paris Saint-Germain today. But Liverpool are planning more additions following the £85m exit of Cody Gakpo, which is also expected to go through before the deadline closes.
While the club are also ready to trim areas of the squad and allow several fringe players to depart after Iraola made it clear which players he is ready to count on for the season. Here, Express Sport has taken a look at the deals Liverpool can still complete before Wednesday.
Bradley Barcola
To all intents and purposes, it appears virtually certain that Barcola is a Liverpool player. Nevertheless, those within the Liverpool hierarchy are seasoned enough to recognise it's not finished until the winger puts pen to paper.
Barcola's deal comprises a £106m guaranteed fee, plus a further £17m in add-ons. That represents a substantial decrease from the £145m figure PSG were initially requesting for the player, who completed his medical on Merseyside yesterday. It would prove disastrous if, for whatever reason, Barcola failed to sign for Liverpool at this advanced stage of the transfer window. Nevertheless, of all the entries on our list, this ought to be a relative formality compared to the remainder, with an announcement anticipated today.
Cody Gakpo and Ismaila Sarr
The transfer that presently appears most probable to be completed before the window closes tomorrow. Gakpo has been heavily sought after this summer but now seems nearer than ever to genuinely departing the club. Manchester City have surged ahead of Tottenham in the pursuit of the Netherlands international over recent days. Gakpo favours the switch as the two clubs begin negotiations. The Dutchman will be expected to feature predominantly as cover for Erling Haaland should he make the switch to City. Liverpool will reportedly receive £85m from the transaction, though it may not be finalised until the Reds secure a suitable replacement.
Arguably, the most probable transfer to be concluded this week, as Liverpool attempt to finally address their right-wing predicament. Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr is reported to have already been the subject of a £50m offer from Anfield but remains in discussions over a transfer. The Senegal forward turns 29 in February and is perhaps older than Liverpool would prefer in a Mohamed Salah replacement, but the club finds itself in somewhat of a desperate situation. Sarr is pushing to join Liverpool, having met with Palace's owners in recent days to inform them of this, and he could arrive as part of a blockbuster double end-of-window push alongside Barcola.
Other potential exits and arrivals
Iraola could prove instrumental in determining the short-term future of young midfield talent James McConnell. Following a loan spell at Ajax last season, the 21-year-old is reportedly close to securing a season-long switch to Preston. Iraola would prefer to keep McConnell, particularly following Curtis Jones's departure to Inter Milan. It appears the youngster now faces a significant choice between pursuing regular first-team football or remaining to compete for the Liverpool shirt with limited guarantee of game time.
Another possible exit from the club, either today or tomorrow, involves Federico Chiesa. The Italian's transfer prospects have been hampered by a recent injury, though the possibility certainly exists that the forward could depart Anfield. A return to Serie A has been portrayed as the likeliest outcome, with Bologna becoming the latest club expressing interest. Nevertheless, Chiesa appears determined to secure his future at Anfield after reports emerged that he had already rejected approaches from Atletico Madrid, Napoli, Roma, Como and Fiorentina.
Following reports that Liverpool are seeking a Gakpo replacement before sanctioning a sale to City, the Reds could do far worse than target Matias Fernandez-Pardo. The Lille forward offers a remarkably similar profile in both physicality and adaptability across the front line. Newcastle are currently leading the race. However, either Arsenal or Liverpool could yet swoop in before the window shuts. Reports earlier this summer indicated that Fernandez-Pardo, who has been serving a suspension for Lille's opening fixtures this campaign, had requested to leave the Decathlon Arena. That could work in Liverpool's favour, with the attacker reportedly carrying a £60m price tag.
Last but not least, Liverpool must seek a resolution over the future of Harvey Elliott. Last season's loan spell at Aston Villa proved fruitless for all concerned, save for the fact that Elliott was able to get his hands on the Europa League trophy during his time there. Valencia, Napoli and Lazio have all been linked with the player, with the Spanish club reportedly having already agreed personal terms. Nevertheless, Liverpool would prefer an outright sale for a player who now has fewer than 12 months left on his contract, while most interested parties are said to favour a loan arrangement.
