Liverpool are pushing hard to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, with FSG driving an ambitious move for the France international this summer.
PSG have so far resisted any approach, insisting they do not want to sell Barcola, who has rejected a contract extension in search of a more prominent role elsewhere.
All indications point to Liverpool holding a strong hand in the race, with Barcola reportedly prioritising a move to Anfield over rival suitors.
However, PSG’s £145m asking price remains a significant obstacle, and if that valuation holds firm, Liverpool’s pursuit could collapse entirely.
Analyst Ben Mattinson has described Barcola as “one of the best left wingers in the world,” making him a marquee target for head coach Andoni Iraola’s squad.
Should the Barcola deal fall through, TEAMtalk have revealed that Liverpool have shortlisted a number of attacking midfielders as alternatives, with Real Madrid’s Arda Guler among them.
The £100m-rated Guler has been earmarked by FSG for some time, and recent developments in Spain involving Real Madrid could open a pathway for Liverpool to pursue the 21-year-old.
Mesut Ozil has described Guler as “world-class,” while European football expert Neal Gardner has hailed him as the “best CM/AM prospect in the world right now.”
Guler’s arrival would put direct pressure on Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in June 2025 but struggled to meet expectations under former boss Arne Slot.
Wirtz was billed as a prodigious playmaking talent when he arrived, yet fell well short of those lofty expectations during a difficult debut campaign at Anfield.
Despite his struggles, Wirtz still ranked inside the top 10% of teammates for touches, chances created, and passes completed in the Premier League last season.
The 23-year-old showed promise at the World Cup in what was a sub-standard Germany side, and underlying numbers suggest a stronger season could be on the cards under Iraola.
Looking at the comparative league statistics, Guler registered four goals and nine assists across 33 games, while Wirtz managed five goals and three assists in the same number of appearances.
Guler also edged Wirtz in chances created, with 70 to 60, and posted a significantly higher successful pass percentage of 90.7 compared to Wirtz’s 84.5.
Wirtz held the upper hand in dribbles completed, recording 39 to Guler’s 27, while also completing more crosses across the same stretch of fixtures.
However, Guler won more duels than his positional rival, with 109 to Wirtz’s 99, suggesting he may adapt to the physical demands of Premier League football more readily.
With Harvey Elliott returning to Merseyside following an unsuccessful loan spell at Aston Villa, Liverpool cannot afford to rely on thin squad depth heading into the new campaign.
Real Madrid closing in on a deal to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig could accelerate Guler’s potential exit from the Bernabeu and hand Liverpool a crucial window of opportunity.
While Guler and Barcola offer different profiles, there is an argument that both could coexist, with Guler’s deeper creativity complementing a wide attacker rather than duplicating one.
Liverpool should be ready to move decisively if the right moment arrives, as missing out on a generational prospect of Guler’s calibre would be a costly oversight this window.