Liverpool can sign ‘one of the best wingers in the world’, he’s a clear Luis Diaz upgrade
Liverpool are prepared to continue their spending spree in the coming weeks, with a replacement for Luis Diaz targeted.
The Reds have already splashed the cash this summer, with a £116million move for Florian Wirtz the standout among several new arrivals.
But departures have left holes in other areas of the squad, and Liverpool have identified potential replacements in defence and on the wing.
Diaz is among those who Arne Slot will want to see replaced, after Diaz completed a £65m move to Bayern Munich.
Bradley Barcola statistically outperforms Luis Diaz
PSG’s Bradley Barcola is one of Liverpool’s targets in the closing weeks of the window, with the winger coming off a sensational season.
The Frenchman scored 21 goals and provided 21 assists across all competitions as the French giants won a historic treble.
But Barcola could now seek an exit, with Liverpool offering the 22-year-old a route into the Premier League.
The winger is similar in play style to Diaz, liking to run beyond the last line of defence, but on a statistical level, it’s not a close comparison.
Key takeaways:
- Barcola is far more direct than Diaz: The Frenchman drives towards the goal when he sees it and does not waste much time getting there.
- Deadly in the final third: Barcola’s numbers for direct goal contributions speak for themselves. The 22-year-old is a superior finisher, and is far more capable of finding his man, reflected in the numbers of assists and key passes.
- Mohamed Salah to benefit: Barcola’s favoured cross more often than not is the cut-back, with his opposite winger often there to tap home.
Of course, the quality of both leagues must be taken into consideration. PSG are by far the best team in Ligue 1, and the league’s quality is not to the level of the Premier League.
It should also be acknowledged that there is a history of the switch making for a struggle.
Nicolas Pepe’s £72m move to Arsenal is infamous for the player’s failure to adapt to the Premier League, the Ivorian scoring just 16 goals in 80 appearances.
But Barcola’s form has not been limited to Ligue 1, the winger was also hugely impressive in the Champions League last season, registering direct goal contributions against Manchester City and Inter.
Barcola is the real deal
At just 22, Barcola does not have a deep history of consistent form for Liverpool to assess before parting ways with the significant fee it would take to recruit him.
But there are stats to suggest the winger’s season will not be an outlier. Despite scoring 14 goals in Ligue 1, Barcola actually underperformed his expected goals, according to Understat.
| Bradley Barcola | Ligue 1 2024/25 (per 90) |
| Key passes | 2.02 |
| Expected goals | 0.62 |
| Expected assists | 0.40 |
The forward would have been expected to score at least 15 goals, based on his shot selection and movement.
And it is a similar story in terms of assists, with his expected assist number of 9.93 aligning with his 10 assists recorded.
Barcola is the real deal, already referred to as one of the best wingers in the world by some.
His signing for Liverpool would make a real statement of intent, with a clear upgrade on Diaz.
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