Reds move for Araujo - what do you think?published at 12:25 BST 8 August
12:25 BST 8 August
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool are close to signing Uruguay defender Ronald Araujo on a season-long loan from Barcelona.
The deal includes an option to buy Araujo, who is expected to have a medical on Sunday.
The 27-year-old centre-back has helped Barca win La Liga in three of the past four seasons, and ended last season as club captain.
Araujo is under contract until 2031 but only made 11 league starts last season, with Gerard Martin and Pau Cubarsi emerging as their preferred central defensive pairing.
What do you think of this business? Will is solve the needs Liverpool had at the back?
'Isak is one of the best number nine's in the world'published at 15:41 BST 7 August
15:41 BST 7 August
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Matt Addison, journalist and writer for Liverpool.com, spoke to Radio Merseyside about striker Alexander Isak and his fitness.
"I think people have forgotten how good he is to be honest," Addison said. "He's one of the best number nine's in the world, there's a reason Liverpool paid £125m for him.
"We know he doesn't have to adapt to the Premier League because he's done it before with Newcastle.
"The one question that there was last season was can he stay fit, or can he get himself fit, because he arrived and wasn't fit, and then broke his leg.
"If he stays fit for the full season, he's a 30-goal striker. It's purely down to his fitness."
Listen to the full discussion by pressing play below or on BBC Sounds here
'Liverpool have to get Barcola deal done' published at 11:58 BST 7 August
11:58 BST 7 August
Image source, Getty Images
Journalist and writer for Liverpool.com, Matt Addison, joined Radio Merseyside to discuss the Reds' pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola.
"We've reached a point where they've just got to get it done," he explained.
"You can't do it for any kind of fee, PSG want what would be a British record fee for Liverpool to pay so I wouldn't expect them to go all the way to £145m/£150m which has been talked about in France.
"If you can do a deal between what they paid for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak I think that's probably about right for a player that has been a big part of a PSG team that's won the Champions League back to back.
"He's a very high quality and experienced player. I think it's a fair price to pay and there doesn't seem to be many other options out there on the market.
"He is the most attainable, realistic player that Liverpool can get who is at that top level."
Iraola 'will deliver the goods' if given time - Rushpublished at 09:35 BST 7 August
09:35 BST 7 August
Ian Mitchelmore BBC Sport Wales
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool legend Ian Rush says Andoni Iraola must be given time to succeed at Anfield, having been appointed as the club's new head coach earlier this summer.
Liverpool's all-time record goalscorer Rush believes the former Bournemouth boss must target winning a trophy in his debut season on Merseyside, but stressed the Spaniard should be given the opportunity to fully implement his methods.
"The first four or five games are going to be important," said Rush. "If you start well, that will give everyone the confidence to go on and be more successful."
When asked what would constitute success for Liverpool this season, he responded: "I've been asked that every year for 30 years and I always say winning the league - that's the standard at Liverpool.
"But no, he has to be given time. If we win a trophy that would be great, but if he is given time I'm sure he will deliver the goods."
Since Iraola's appointment, the Reds have brought in centre-back Jeremy Jacquet and winger Victor Munoz.
Having lost experienced players in left-back Andy Robertson, forward Mohamed Salah and central defender Ibrahima Konate over the summer, his squad remains in need of strengthening.
But Rush urged fans not to be concerned about the lack of transfers so far: "We would all like to make one or two more signings, but there is a time and a place for everything.
"We have got people coming back from injury so, if we can get them back fit, it might be okay. There are still a few weeks to go, so let's see what happens."
Gossip: Liverpool not moving for Spencepublished at 08:04 BST 7 August
08:04 BST 7 August
Liverpool have no intention of pursuing a summer transfer move for Tottenham and England full-back Djed Spence, 25, despite their recent injury woes. (Mirror), external
The Reds have intensified discussions with 18-year-old Paris St-Germain and Senegal winger Ibrahim Mbaye's representatives after the teenager made it clear he wants to leave the French champions. (Teamtalk), external
'I'm in awe' - Liverpool unveil Rush exhibitionpublished at 16:54 BST 6 August
16:54 BST 6 August
Media caption,
Liverpool have unveiled a new exhibition at Anfield dedicated to the club's all-time record goalscorer Ian Rush - a tribute which the 65-year-old says is "absolutely amazing".
The 'All You Need Is Rush' exhibition traces his journey to becoming a legendary number nine, who scored 346 goals in 660 appearances for the Reds.
The items on show include all 16 of his Liverpool hat-trick match balls, three match-worn FA Cup final jerseys and his two European Golden Boots.
"I never thought anything like this would happen for me," Rush told BBC Radio Merseyside. "But it is bringing back many memories. I'm in awe to tell you the truth.
"I just gave the club all of my stuff, some of which was in bin bags or in my loft. I got my son to get everything out and get it cleaned up, and it turned into this which is absolutely amazing.
"I get very emotional seeing all of this, it brings back so many memories. I'm not getting any younger now, so it is nice to see the whole collection."
'I'm sure this is the correct step for my career' - Munozpublished at 16:37 BST 6 August
16:37 BST 6 August
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool summer signing Victor Munoz says he had "no doubts" about his Anfield move and believes head coach Andoni Iraola's style of football "fits perfectly" with his skillset.
The 22-year-old forward, who has signed a six-year deal, trained with his new team-mates for the first time this week after returning from World Cup duty.
"It was a very quick process," Munoz revealed in an interview on the club's website, external. "When it arose I was at the World Cup with Spain, so I couldn't take any time away to come over to Liverpool and set things in stone.
"I discussed it with my family though and straight away there were no doubts it was a great move for me. It all went very quickly from there.
"I'm sure this is the correct step for my career, and that's exactly what Andoni Iraola said to me as well.
"He said he was going to put a lot of confidence in me and he rightly pointed out that I'm quite a young player. He is going to help me develop for this great club."
When asked if Iraola's style of play suits his attributes, he replied: "I think so. It is already well known that he likes to play with open wingers on both sides to build constant pressure and an overwhelming drive forward.
"That fits perfectly with my skillset. These are tools that I, as a player, also bring to the game so I do think it is a good fit for me."
Supporters could get a first glimpse of Munoz when Liverpool host AS Monaco in a pre-season friendly at Anfield on Sunday, 9 August (14:30 BST).
Given the Reds are also keen on PSG's Bradley Barcola, would Mbaye be signed addition or is he a plan B?
Comerford said: "From what I've read it would be that they're separate deals. Liverpool are looking to bring in both players, it sounds a lot less complicated as well.
"It feels like a right sider version of Rio Ngumoha in terms of the age that he is and level of promise. I think he's only scored like four goals in the French league.
"He's clearly a big talent but in the back of your mind you think 'well if he was really that special, would PSG be willing to sell him?'
"It took me by surprise. Is he the profile of player that Liverpool need at the moment?"
'Leave the footballer before the footballer leaves you'published at 11:55 BST 6 August
11:55 BST 6 August
Josh Sexton Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp were criticised in some quarters for letting a squad get past their peak without phasing in replacements.
The result was a summer in which they signed Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch in one fell swoop.
While fortunes varied at first, Liverpool fans don't need a reminder that this trio became a league-winning midfield under a manager that has since been sacked.
In fact, many believed the beginning of the end for Arne Slot was his supposed mishandling of Mo Salah, after the player went public with his frustrations at being dropped and "scapegoated" for the team's poor form at the time.
While it does raise questions on all sides, it could be argued that this is a move representative of a player that went past his peak at Anfield.
Yes, he saved one of his best seasons for one of his last years, but perhaps that only sped up his decline in ability to continue at the top level - that aforementioned 2022-23 vintage under Klopp went all the way in all four competitions just the season before their sharp decline, after all.
While Liverpool are still searching for a replacement, Jamie Carragher's "leave the football before the football leaves you" springs to mind, but rather "leave the footballer before the footballer leaves you".
Because while Salah could still be starting for the Reds on the opening day based on a lack of experienced options, would they be better served moving on and starting the auditions for said replacement right now?
Links have emerged to PSG's Ibrahim Mbaye, while reports suggest they're still pursuing his team-mate Bradley Barcola, as it's clear that fresh ideas are needed.
Salah is a Liverpool legend that will always be loved on Merseyside, but his latest move makes it clear it was time for all parties to move on.
What strengths might Barcola bring to Anfield?published at 08:55 BST 6 August
08:55 BST 6 August
Mohamed Moallim BBC Sport Journalist
Image source, Getty Images
At first glance, Bradley Barcola looks like the natural successor to Luis Diaz, with the underlying data suggesting the Paris St-Germain forward could fill that void.
Opta's player similarity model rates the Frenchman as the winger whose output most closely resembled Diaz's across Europe's top five leagues in 2025-26 (78%), with Mohamed Salah (65%), Lamine Yamal (61%) and Vinicius Junior (61%) the next closest matches.
A closer look, however, suggests Liverpool would not simply be replacing one winger with another.
Barcola is a left winger by trade, having played almost all of his Champions League minutes for PSG on that flank, but his game is shaped by a centre-forward's instincts. He played as a striker until the age of 17, something reflected in his movement and shot selection.
Last season, he averaged 3.5 shots per 90 minutes in Ligue 1, placing him among the division's most active shooters despite operating from wide areas.
His 9.83 expected goals (xG) ranked in the 95th percentile among wingers across Europe's top five leagues, meaning only around 5% of wide players consistently found themselves in better goalscoring positions.
Barcola converted those chances into 11 league goals, outperforming his xG, while no PSG player or Ligue 1 winger recorded a higher xG total during the 2025-26 campaign.
Those instincts are reflected in how he attacks defenders. Barcola was the only player across Europe's top five leagues to average more than two shot-ending carries per 90 minutes (2.06), illustrating his ability to drive at opponents before creating shooting opportunities for himself.
He also averaged 8.69 touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 minutes - the seventh-highest figure among more than 1,500 eligible players - reinforcing the profile of a winger who consistently occupies goalscoring positions.
His shot map highlights a player who attacks dangerous central areas rather than settling for speculative efforts from distance.
The comparison with Salah is equally revealing. While both pose a significant goal threat, Barcola is a more direct ball carrier.
He attempted more take-ons per 90 than the Egypt forward last season (4.26 to 3.38), but created fewer chances (2.16 to 2.33), attempted far fewer crosses (1.15 to 4.89) and through balls (0.25 to 0.59).
The numbers point towards a player who looks to eliminate defenders himself rather than orchestrate attacks from wide areas.
There are also signs that his game continues to evolve under Luis Enrique.
Barcola's passing profile across his three Champions League campaigns at PSG has become increasingly focused on progressing play in the final third, reflecting greater tactical maturity. Rather than dribbling at every opportunity, he now shows a better understanding of when to accelerate attacks and when to recycle possession.
His work without the ball is another reason Liverpool's recruitment team are understood to admire him. Barcola ranked ninth across Europe's top five leagues for possessions won in the final third last season, a metric that reflects the aggressive pressing and intensity likely to be demanded under Andoni Iraola.
Why Tottenham want Liverpool's Gakpopublished at 08:36 BST 6 August
08:36 BST 6 August
Mohamed Moallim BBC Sport Journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Tottenham are keen on a move for Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo as Roberto de Zerbi continues reshaping his squad.
Any deal would be far from straightforward. Liverpool are reluctant to weaken their attacking options, particularly after Mohamed Salah's departure and with Hugo Ekitike still recovering from an Achilles injury.
The Reds are themselves pursuing Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola but, even if he arrived, Liverpool would be losing one of their most experienced attackers.
So why are Spurs interested?
On the surface, Gakpo looks like another left winger. In reality, he offers considerably more tactical flexibility.
Although he has played most of his football for Liverpool from the left, the Netherlands international has regularly been used as a central striker, false nine and second forward. De Zerbi reportedly views him as someone capable of operating through the middle, dropping between the lines to link play before releasing runners beyond him.
That profile fits the Italian's football. Instead of relying on a traditional penalty-box striker, De Zerbi often asks his centre forward to vacate central spaces, combine with midfielders and create room for wide players to attack. Gakpo possesses the technical quality, close control and positional intelligence to perform that role while also providing cover on the left.
His versatility would also offer Tottenham valuable insurance across multiple positions. Dominic Solanke and Mathys Tel are both natural central forwards, but neither provide the same ability to move seamlessly between the wing and the middle.
Liverpool have been linked with a potential move for Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio, 23, after the Spanish international was informed he could leave the La Liga club this summer. (Teamtalk), external
The 2026-27 Premier League season has not yet kicked off, but it has already made history.
Nine clubs are set to begin the campaign with a new permanent manager - the highest number ever for the top flight's opening weekend.
The scale of turnover has dramatically reshaped the Premier League's managerial landscape.
The upheaval did not begin this summer. The 2025-26 Premier League season featured 11 managerial changes, with Forest among the clubs to make multiple appointments during the campaign.
The average tenure of a top-flight boss now stands at about 20 months, illustrating just how fleeting life in one of football's most demanding jobs can now be.
Recent history also suggests changing manager offers no guarantees. During the 2025-26 season, several clubs that switched coaches continued to struggle. Forest employed three managers during the campaign, Tottenham changed head coach twice, while Chelsea also altered direction before the season ended.
Others, however, did enjoy an immediate uplift. Michael Carrick averaged 2.6 points per game across his first five matches as Manchester United boss, while Liam Rosenior collected the same return after taking charge of Chelsea. Rosenior's tenure ultimately proved short-lived, though, with the Blues winning just one of his final eight Premier League matches before he was dismissed.
Research discussed in the Financial Times,, external external, drawing on findings from Soccernomics by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski, argues that player quality and spending remain stronger predictors of results than managerial changes alone.
Sports consultancy Twenty First Group says coaches often succeed or fail according to the environment they inherit as much as their own abilities.
Since the Premier League began in 1992, only six managers have won the title in their first season in charge of their club.
Mourinho became the first to achieve the feat with Chelsea in 2004-05, before Carlo Ancelotti repeated it with the same club in 2009-10.
Manuel Pellegrini guided Manchester City to the title in his debut campaign in 2013-14, Claudio Ranieri masterminded Leicester City's remarkable triumph in 2015-16, Conte won the league in his first season at Chelsea in 2016-17, and most recently Slot led Liverpool to the championship in his maiden campaign in 2025-26.
With almost half the division beginning the campaign under new leadership, the Premier League enters one of its most unpredictable seasons in recent memory.
What are the new financial rules Premier League clubs must stick to?published at 06:46 BST 6 August
06:46 BST 6 August
Katharine Sharpe and Simon Casson BBC Sport senior journalists
The 2025-26 Premier League and Championship seasons included the introduction of squad-cost ratio rules on a shadow basis, testing to see how a spending cap for squad costs set at a percentage of a club's total revenues might work.
These SCR regulations have now been permanently implemented for the 2026-27 season, replacing previous profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
Uefa has a 70% SCR cap for European competitions, so Premier League clubs who qualified for Europe fall in line with this limit.
Clubs who did not qualify for Europe, and so are only taking part in domestic competitions, are capped at 85% of their total revenue.
However, clubs can spend above the 85% limit by using a multi-year rolling allowance of 30%. This allows them to invest ahead of revenue and variance or sporting underperformance.
Every club will start this coming season on 85% + 30% allowance, so effectively 115%.
If a club spends 105% on their squad in 2026-27, it means they have used 20% of their allowance, and for 2027-28 their maximum spend before potential sporting sanction is 95%.
If a club spend less than 85%, they can increase the allowance again to the maximum of 30%.
Spending above 85% but under the allowance results in a financial penalty, whereas going over both the 85% and the allowance will land the club a fixed six-point deduction which increases by one point for every £6.5m spent over the 115%.
'Anchoring' was also trialled in 2025-26, which meant any club's spending could not exceed a multiple of income earned by the bottom-placed club - however this was rejected at a vote of Premier League clubs.
SCR was approved by a vote of 14 clubs to six, and was introduced alongside sustainability and systemic resilience (SSR) regulations.
SSR involves three tests that are applied throughout the season:
Working capital test - assesses short-term cash resources
Liquidity test - assesses medium-term liquidity and resilience
Positive equity test -assesses long-term financial health
The aim of the SCR and SSR regulations is to stop the richest owners providing endless funds to their clubs to sign new players, as any money injected this way does not count as seasonal revenue.
They will also aim to prevent clubs from overspending and accruing unmanageable losses.
Why would Reds break £100m mark yet again on Barcola?published at 16:28 BST 5 August
16:28 BST 5 August
Michael Emons BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool have twice paid more than £100m for players - midfielder Florian Wirtz and striker Alexander Isak - and could be about to pay that much once again.
Paris St-Germain and France winger Bradley Barcola has become a main target for Liverpool, with the Reds prepared to pay about £100m, while PSG are holding out for somewhere near £145m.
The club trophies are beginning to stack up already for the fast, direct, skilful winger who loves to run at an opponent and dribble past them.
He came on as a second-half substitute in both the past two Champions League finals, when PSG beat Inter Milan 5-0 in 2024-25 and then in May when they edged past Arsenal on penalties to retain their title.
Barcola moved to PSG from Lyon in 2023 for a reported £38.5m and has since also won three Ligue 1 titles, the French Cup twice, as well as the Uefa Super Cup and the Fifa Intercontinental Cup.
He is right footed, although he prefers to play on the left wing, but can also play on the right or through the middle. However, with PSG also having Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and France's Desire Doue as wide options, Barcola does not play 90 minutes every match so a move to Anfield would give him more playing time.
With Mohamed Salah leaving on a free transfer at the end of last season having scored 257 goals in a hugely successful nine-year spell with the Reds, Liverpool clearly need to strengthen their attack.
France forward Hugo Ekitike ruptured his Achilles tendon in April and is not expected to play again in 2026, while Cody Gakpo, another who can play on the left and in the middle, has been linked with a move to Tottenham, although Liverpool say they do not want to sell.
Barcola has already played 28 times for his country and scored three times in this summer's World Cup, including in the 6-4 loss to England in the third-fourth play-off.
However, like at club level, his game time was limited because of the skills of his 21-year-old PSG team-mate Doue.
Boss Didier Deschamps stuck with Ballon d'Or holder Ousmane Dembele on the right and rotated Barcola and Doue, with both men starting four of France's eight World Cup matches, but never in the same game.
Image source, Getty Images
