Jamie Carragher has voiced his opinion that Liverpool’s transfer agenda should not focus on acquiring Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint‑Germain. Instead, the former defender urges the club to concentrate on finding a proper successor for Mohamed Salah on the right flank. According to a report from Sky Sports News, Liverpool are reportedly preparing an initial bid for the 24‑year‑old French winger, a player who is also attracting interest from Arsenal.
Some insiders claim that Barcola’s market value could be around £128.5 million, reflecting the premium placed on his talent. Carragher, however, points out that Liverpool already possess a surplus of options on the left side of the pitch. With Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and the newly signed Victor Munoz all capable of operating on the left wing, he argues that the Reds are over‑stocked in one area while lacking a natural right‑winger to fill the void left by Salah’s departure. "He’s an excellent player, no doubt about it – I’d love to see Barcola at Liverpool," Carragher told Sky Sports.
"But to me he is a left‑winger. Liverpool’s glaring weakness at the moment is finding a right‑wing replacement for Mo Salah. I don’t see anyone in the current squad who feels completely at ease on the right side." He continued, "Before Barcola arrives, Liverpool already have at least four players who could comfortably play on the left.
I’m not saying any of them are better than Barcola, but in terms of squad balance, the position they need most right now is a right‑winger, not another left‑handed attacker." When asked whether he would still welcome Barcola if the club also secured a right‑winger, Carragher replied, "I would be delighted. It would mean players would have to move on, and that’s how business works. But this summer, in my view, the priority should be replacing Mo Salah.
Barcola does not replace Mo Salah." The conversation also touched on the potential impact of signing Barcola on the development of Liverpool’s promising young winger, Rio Ngumoha. Ngumoha, who turns 18 in August, enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last season, scoring two goals in 19 Premier League appearances. Carragher acknowledged that bringing in a high‑profile, expensive left‑winger could limit the teenager’s pathway to regular first‑team football. "That’s a valid concern," Carragher said.
"Rio is a talented youngster and I expect him to continue improving. But when you spend a huge sum on a player who currently outperforms Rio, you have to wonder about the message it sends to the academy prospects." He added, "There’s talk that Rio could be deployed on the right to get minutes, and that flexibility is fine for a young player. Yet his natural position is the left, and that’s where the club has already invested heavily." Carragher reflected on the club’s previous stance when Luis Diaz left last season. At that time, Liverpool publicly stated they were not chasing a left‑winger because Gakpo was already covering that role, and they also wanted to avoid blocking Ngumoha’s progression.
"I understood that rationale at the time," he said, "but a year later we see the same situation repeating, with a massive outlay being considered for a left‑winger again." He concluded, "If Liverpool can bring in a genuine right‑winger, add Barcola if they still want him, and then offload a couple of the current wide players, that would make a lot of sense. It would address the immediate need for a right‑handed attacker while preserving the development route for Rio Ngumoha." In summary, Carragher’s analysis suggests that Liverpool’s transfer strategy should be guided by positional balance rather than simply chasing high‑profile names. The club appears to have a depth of talent on the left side, but the right wing remains a clear gap after Salah’s exit. While Barcola is a talented player, his skill set aligns more with the left flank, and committing significant funds to him could potentially hinder the growth of promising academy graduate Rio Ngumoha.
A more prudent approach, according to Carragher, would be to secure a right‑wing specialist first, then consider Barcola as a secondary target, and finally streamline the squad by moving on some of the existing wide‑men. This would ensure both immediate competitiveness and long‑term sustainability for Liverpool’s attacking options.