Liverpool have a better option than signing Ibrahim Mbaye and now look set to take it
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Liverpool’s forward options look set to be drastically different this season, no matter what happens in the final days of the summer transfer window.Mohamed Salah’s exit after nine fantastic years means a new-look attack was always going to be in place at Anfield, and though there is still work to be done, the Reds have already made some major changes.Victor Munoz has arrived, while there have been reports that Rio Ngumoha will now be mainly seen as a right-sided option. A big move for Bradley Barcola looks likely to be added to that, while there have been strong suggestions that Barcola’s Paris Saint-Germain teammate Ibrahim Mbaye could also join.
Where does Curtis Jones rank among Liverpool’s greatest academy products? The Scouser is set to join Inter Milan in a £30m deal after seven years in the first-team Photo Credit: Getty Images/Paul Ellis/AFP However, Liverpool‘s prospective move for Mbaye appears to have slowed in recent days, and it now looks possible that there will be just one more new wing addition instead of two.While that will come as a disappointment to fans dreaming of new impetus out wide, Liverpool’s squad will actually be stronger if they ignore Mbaye and keep Cody Gakpo instead.Cody Gakpo looking likely to stay at LiverpoolIf Liverpool do sign two more wingers along with Munoz, the general feeling has been that this will lead to an exit for Gakpo.The Dutchman has been strongly linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, and Barcola joining with Mbaye would pave the way for that.READ MORE: When Liverpool fans will see Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni together as excitement builds for new pairingBut on Wednesday, Tottenham moved to sign both Savinho and Omar Marmoush from Manchester City which, though not ruling out an attempt on Gakpo, does make signing the Liverpool man much more unlikely.Having already spent a huge amount on the likes of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, adding Savinho, Marmoush and Gakpo would surely be beyond Spurs’ means.
Coupled with the slowing down of the Mbaye links, it now looks much more likely that Gakpo will now stay with Liverpool.Liverpool are stronger with Bradley Barcola and GakpoThough Gakpo staying may not be met with much enthusiasm from fans – especially if Mbaye slips through the net – it is absolutely the case that the 27-year-old staying makes Liverpool stronger.He has done his best work for the Reds while rotating with Luis Diaz during the 2024/25 campaign, and if Barcola comes in, that could lead to a very similar scenario.Photo by Lewis Storey – Danehouse/Getty ImagesIf Gakpo leaves and Mbaye comes in, that would likely mean Barcola and Munoz are Liverpool’s main left-sided options, and although the Spaniard looks extremely exciting, he is nothing like at the level of Gakpo as an experienced and proven Premier League performer.Mbaye would arguably improve the Reds’ right-sided attacking players, but the Senegal international is only 18, has had some question marks over his attitude, and would also take time needing to adapt to the country and the league.While Munoz is in the same boat, and he and Ngumoha look slightly short of what Liverpool need, the pair are clearly very talented, and if they do not end up being good enough, the Reds can go big on someone like Rayan in 2027.So, though it would certainly be more exciting to add Barcola for the left and Mbaye for the right, the smart option here – especially after so much change already this summer – is to keep Gakpo and have him rotate with Barcola to make Liverpool’s left side one of the strongest in Europe.Additionally, fans should remember that the Reds desperately need some cover for Alexander Isak until Hugo Ekitike returns next year. Gakpo is arguably the best option in the current squad for doing that, and keeping him around makes a whole lot of sense from that point of view as well.Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox