Liverpool transfer after Barcola & Minteh now looks really possible after James Pearce update

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Liverpool don’t intend to add a midfielder to their ranks in the summer transfer window.James Pearce reported for The Athletic that “only the forward line” will be strengthened in the market.Instead of replacing Curtis Jones (sold to Inter Milan), Trey Nyoni will be handed a greater supply of minutes in 2026/27.Liverpool’s will not sign a midfielder this summer.(Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)As things currently stand, Liverpool look likely to recruit both Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh ahead of the deadline on September 1.However, the big questions as to whether the Reds plan to reinforce any other department on the pitch.According to Pearce, it would seem that our recruitment team is approaching the remainder of the window in a very narrow manner: “Despite the clamour for midfield reinforcements, which intensified after Sunday’s dramatic 2-2 draw with Newcastle, senior club sources say Liverpool’s focus remains on bolstering their attacking options out wide.“They don’t intend to replace Jones, as they see teenager Trey Nyoni as ready to step up and play a bigger part this season. Unless there’s a change of stance, it’s only the forward line which will be strengthened.”And look, we can understand why, given both Andoni Iraola and the club’s decision-makers appear to be in agreement that Liverpool’s gappy midfield is more the fault of the existing system than due to personnel.Want more Empire of the Kop coverage?

Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustWe’d still argue that the signing of a more defensively-inclined midfielder would help the manager on his way, but that’s by the by!Does this mean Liverpool could sign a striker?(Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)Reports coming out of the patch journalists indicate that it’s likely to be two further additions this summer and that’s it.However, we do find it rather interesting that Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg indicated that a third possible signing could be on the way beyond Barcola and Minteh/Mbaye.And given James Pearce’s comments on Tuesday morning, we’d surely be looking to add cover for Alexander Isak rather than further bolster the wings.Certainly, given that, with the additions of the aforementioned pair, we’d have a minimum of four senior options on the flanks (five, if Cody Gakpo isn’t moved on).From that point on, the most glaring gap in the forward line has to be considered the striker position, with Isak unlikely to be able to survive a potentially 50-plus game season without backup.