Liverpool are edging closer to a £120million agreement for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, with head coach Andoni Iraola revealing what he expects from any new arrivals before Tuesday's deadline.
Outline deal struck with PSG
The Reds have reached an outline agreement with the Champions League winners for Barcola after prolonged discussions. Significant progress was made overnight on Wednesday, with the proposed transfer including a guaranteed fee of just over £100m and performance-related clauses that could raise the total to around £120m.
The specifics of the deal are yet to be finalised, and the Liverpool Echo reports that considerable work remains for the transfer to be completed.
Iraola's demands for new wingers
Liverpool are seeking to strengthen their attacking options further and have been assessing a move for Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr, after being informed Brighton want close to £80m for Yankuba Minteh.
While declining to comment on the club's current transfer activity, Iraola outlined what will be demanded from whoever arrives in the coming days.
"I think for a club like us we need wingers who can make the difference, who can be the man who can make the difference in isolation, who can attack the spaces, who can also do the defensive work that we are going to demand from them in terms of pressing or sometimes following the full-backs," said the Reds head coach.
"And also if they can provide numbers then it's perfect. It is difficult to find someone who can tick all the boxes, but it is what we are trying to do."
Late window efforts
Despite knowing since at least March that Mohamed Salah would leave in the summer, Liverpool have struggled to secure a replacement on the right flank. Iraola, however, is taking a measured view of the club's late efforts.
"I definitely would have preferred to have the wingers ready on the first day (of training)," he said. "The same for every position. But I understand that it's not easy in the market and the wingers that we are trying to sign, they are of a high level.
"They are wanted by a lot of clubs, and I think it's very difficult also for the club to close those situations. But as long as we arrive at the right place at the end and we sign the right players, I think it would be worth it even if they haven't been with us in pre-season."
