Liverpool are entering the 2026/27 campaign with renewed ambition after a turbulent year that tested the club’s foundations significantly.
New manager Andoni Iraola has promised to bring the “rock and roll” back to Anfield, signalling an intent to play energetic, attacking football once more.
The Spaniard’s task is complicated by the departures of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Ibrahima Konate, all of whom left on free transfers this summer.
FSG have been chasing Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche as a replacement for Salah, with Liverpool establishing initial contact with the French club this week.
However, Liverpool remain behind Paris Saint-Germain in that race, as PSG have so far struggled to reach a breakthrough in negotiations with Monaco.
The 24-year-old Akliouche is a creative wide playmaker with natural flair, though he managed only six goals and six assists in Ligue 1 last season.
While Akliouche would help rebuild Liverpool’s playmaking ability, he would not arrive with the capacity to directly replace Salah’s prolific output from the right flank.
Liverpool are also regarded as favourites to sign PSG forward Bradley Barcola, and securing that deal must take precedence from an attacking standpoint.
Defensively, Liverpool’s squad remains thin even after the January agreement of a £60m deal with Rennes for Jeremy Jacquet ahead of pre-season.
According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Liverpool have held talks with PSG over a potential move for defender Ilya Zabarnyi, who has been “offered” to both Chelsea and the Anfield club.
Zabarnyi joined PSG from Bournemouth for £57m last summer, making 26 Ligue 1 starts, though the move has not quite gone to plan for the Ukrainian.
Former defender Joe Partington hailed Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen for having “taken Bournemouth to a completely different level” during their time together at the club.
Crucially, Zabarnyi would arrive at Liverpool with previous Premier League experience under Iraola himself, giving him a significant head start in adapting to the system.
The Ukraine international won 63% of his duels and regularly carried the ball forward, progressing play with both his passing and his considerable athleticism.
His ability to split opposition lines while remaining physically dominant gives him a modern defensive profile that fits Liverpool’s high-tempo approach perfectly.
Alongside Virgil van Dijk, Zabarnyi could develop an intuitive understanding at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, providing both solidity and quality in build-up.
Akliouche remains an intriguing prospect, but whether he can fill the enormous void left by Salah on the Liverpool right is a question that may take years to answer.
Zabarnyi, by contrast, would be expected to contribute immediately, arriving as a proven Premier League operator who has also experienced life at the very top with PSG.
With striker Alexander Isak valued at £125m and expected to return to world-class scoring form, Liverpool’s immediate priority off the ball may be the more pressing concern.
Liverpool need to move smartly in this window, and landing Zabarnyi could represent one of the shrewder pieces of business of the summer transfer market.