"I'm not sure about that" – Jamie Carragher warns Liverpool over clear transfer priority

It's been obvious for some time now that Liverpool are interested in signing PSG's Bradley Barcola.

He has been a part of Les Parisiens' success domestically and, more recently, in Europe. At only 23, he has already won the Champions League twice, the Super Cup once, the French League three times, the French Cup twice and the French Super Cup three times.

Formerly of Olympique Lyon, the winger has grown in stature, with his electrifying pace and tricky dribbling key features of his style of play.

And after an impressive World Cup, finishing with three goals and an assist in eight matches, on top of 38 goals in two seasons, it's easy to see why the Reds are targeting him.

However, not everyone is convinced. Liverpool legend Jaime Carragher has voiced his opposition to the move:

PSG inspired front line?

Liverpool's ex-number 23 feels that a right winger is more important than another right footer or a more recently 'traditional' left-winger.

However, Víctor Muñoz was signed from Osasuna during the World Cup, and while he is also a right footed left winger, he is comfortable playing on the right wing and changing throughout a game.

And that appears to be the plan.

Not to sound like Arne Slot, but one of the reason's PSG's attack is so dangerous and effective is how fluid and interchangable they are with each other.

Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are all comfortable playing anywhere across the front line. And with Hugo Ekitike out for some time, in addition to wanting to keep Alexander Isak as fit as possible, this fluidity and depth will be key for the Reds this season.

Is depth an issue?

Carra argues that Rio Ngumoha has always played from the left and that Cody Gakpo may be better off leaving the club.

Ngumoha himself said that he is improving and getting better at playing on the right. Being comfortable on both wings will only help his development.

Gakpo will probably need to stay for this season at least while Ekitike recovers from his achilles injury, but the club may look to move him on once the Frenchman has returned.

At the moment, occupying the front three positions Liverpool have:

Left Wingers - Barcola*, Gakpo, Ngumoha, Federico Chiesa, Muñoz

Strikers - Isak, Gakpo, Chiesa

Right Wingers - Muñoz, Barcola*, Ngumoha, Chiesa

One thing that is glaringly obvious is that depth is an issue. Without Barcola (or a new forward) an injury to any one or two of these players leaves options quite thin. And we all know how injury prone Chiesa is.

Florian Wirtz can play off the left wing as well, and featured briefly as a false nine under Slot, but he prefers to play as a number 10. Harvey Elliot could also fill in on the right-wing, but he's not the quickest and is better in central spaces.

Whether the club choses Barcola, or a player that has also been linked like Yankuba Minteh or Rayan, another attacking option is needed as Ekitike is sidelined for the majority of the season.

Inside forwards or wingers?

What is interesting however, is the obsession with inside forwards instead of a 'traditional' winger. Back in the days, right footed wide players played on the right, and vice versa for the left.

In the last 16 years or so, this has changed, and right footers have been cutting in from the left, left footers cutting in from the right.

But, the last seven winners of the Champions League have had right footed right wingers in their starting 11:

Proving that having a winger that is a 'cut inside merchant' isn't always the key to success - but fluidity and players who are two footed, are.

What next?

It is going to be almost impossible to replace Mohamed Salah with a single player. But that seems to be why the club splashed out on both Isak and Wirtz last summer.

The Swede to replace the goals, and the German to replace the creativity. Liverpool will probably transition from depending on wingers, like Sadio Mané and Salah, to a more central dependency, with the wider players facilitating the main two men.

Isak also thrived having a right footed right winger in Jacob Murphy, who Slot named last season as a missing profile. So, a player like Barcola may be just what he needs to become the dangerous number nine the Reds have been waiting for.

Whoever the club brings in attacking-wise, more work will also need to be done to supplement the defence. Centre-back options are very light, and if Calvin Ramsay is allowed to leave on loan or permanently, an injury there can also spell trouble.

Liverpool play their final pre-season game in the US in Chicago against Leeds on the 2nd of August at 8pm BST.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow