Would Bradley Barcola arriving and Alisson leaving be a smart reset or a major risk?
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Rush The Kop or go back to LFC Live.
As the slog that has been Liverpool’s 2025/26 season nears its unceremonious conclusion, attention has already begun to shift — both among supporters and within the club itself — toward what promises to be a hugely important summer aimed at steering next season's team back in the right direction.Following a summer in which the departure of Luis Díaz now looks, in hindsight, like a significant mistake, while marquee signings such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak failed to justify their combined price tags in their debut campaigns, it is vital that the board gets its next round of decisions right — both in terms of arrivals and departures.So, with Arne Slot recently promising that supporters can expect a completely different identity from the side next season than the fragile one displayed throughout this campaign, let’s take a look at one potential arrival and one possible departure that have gathered momentum in recent days. Between Mohamed Salah’s looming departure and Cody Gakpo’s well-documented struggles this season, Arne Slot has gotten little consistency from his first-choice wingers.
Based on Barcola’s body of work, however, he could very well provide the creative spark Liverpool’s attack has lacked out wide throughout this campaign.Despite playing 953 minutes compared to Kvaratskhelia’s 1,057 in the Champions League, the French youngster still managed six goal contributions during PSG’s run to yet another European final, even registering an assist against Liverpool during the Parisians’ dominant 4-0 aggregate victory over the Reds.And while many Liverpool supporters understandably want Rio Ngumoha to inherit the starting left-wing role next season, the teenager still has plenty of development ahead of him. Both players thrive through explosive pace, direct attacking play, and elite one-on-one dribbling ability, meaning Barcola could help mentor the 17-year-old as he continues growing into Liverpool’s long-term option on the left wing.Additionally, Barcola already has familiarity with Hugo Ekitike through the French national team setup, which could help Liverpool further maximize the striker’s output after an impressive debut season at Anfield.With the same number of goals as Salah and four more goal contributions than Gakpo despite operating in a secondary role at PSG, Barcola is the type of winger who could inject youth, energy, and unpredictability into a Liverpool attack that has grown increasingly stagnant.
It would be exactly the sort of refresh Slot may need as he attempts to restore belief among supporters heading into next season.Liverpool FC v Galatasaray SK - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg | NurPhoto/GettyImagesPotential departure: Alisson BeckerBefore diving into this one, let’s first get the obvious out of the way: Alisson Becker is a bona fide Liverpool legend.His trophy cabinet speaks for itself, and over the years he has produced countless world-class saves that have rescued Liverpool in crucial moments. Quite simply, he is the best goalkeeper of Liverpool’s modern era.That being said, with the likes of veterans Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson already confirming their departures at season's end, and Juventus publicly expressing interest in bringing the Brazilian to Serie A, this summer increasingly feels like a natural point for Liverpool to complete its changing of the guard.At 33 years old, Alisson is currently valued somewhere between €15-20 million — meaning Liverpool could still command a respectable fee for a player approaching the latter stages of his career.