Liverpool's Attack: The Shift from Gakpo to Barcola

Liverpool’s attack used to pick itself. Now, it doesn’t even know what it wants to be.

A summer that was supposed to bring clarity has instead left the club stuck in a holding pattern, a month out from the transfer deadline and still wrestling with big decisions on big names. The rebuild that many expected has stalled in mid-air. Anfield feels caught between eras.

The departure of Mohamed Salah to Trabzonspor ripped a hole in the right flank and in Liverpool’s identity. Hugo Ekitike is sidelined until at least January. For a club that has lived off its frontline for a decade, the timing could hardly be worse.

And yet the name dominating the conversation is not a right-winger at all.

Barcola over Gakpo

Bradley Barcola has emerged as Liverpool’s leading attacking target, but not as the direct heir to Salah’s throne. The plan, as briefed, is blunt: he would arrive to play on the left, and he would arrive ahead of Cody Gakpo.

“Bradley Barcola would be signed to play left wing for Liverpool, not the Salah replacement,” Anfield Sector reported via X. “He would come in ahead of Cody Gakpo in the pecking order should a deal be agreed with PSG, with negotiations progressing slowly but the PSG hierarchy currently unwilling to compromise on a €150m+ valuation.”

That figure explains the stalemate. PSG know what they have, and they are in no rush to help Liverpool solve their problems. Liverpool, meanwhile, are staring at a forward line that feels one piece short and one gear slow.

The idea of Gakpo being relegated to backup status would have sounded absurd not long ago. In 2024-25 he was one of Liverpool’s most effective attackers, locked in a genuine duel with Luis Diaz for the starting role on the left. He produced one of his best seasons in red, finally looking like the player Liverpool thought they had signed.

Then came 2025-26.

Gakpo’s slide and a changing hierarchy

Handed the left-wing berth to start the season, Gakpo did not kick on. He regressed. Performances dipped, confidence drained, and a player once central to Liverpool’s attacking plans became a problem to solve.

The crowd saw it early. The calls grew louder for Rio Ngumoha to be thrown in, and eventually Arne Slot relented, giving the youngster a run that only underlined how far Gakpo’s level had dropped. What had been a rotation became a demotion.

From that moment, the links to left-wingers were inevitable. Liverpool’s recruitment team began scanning the market for a starter, not a squad player. Among the names, one stood out.

Barcola.

The Frenchman contributed to 20 goals across all competitions last season and did it while drifting across the entire front line. Left, right, central – he moved, combined, stretched defences. That range of positions, that ability to adapt, is precisely what modern elite attacks demand.

Gakpo can play across the front, too, but not with the same sharpness or impact. Barcola brings a higher ceiling and a broader toolset. On current evidence, he is the upgrade.

A ruthless call waiting to be made

Liverpool’s situation is messy. They still lack a natural right-winger to step into Salah’s role, yet they are preparing to spend heavily on a left-sided forward. They have a once-important attacker in Gakpo whose stock has fallen sharply, and a fanbase impatient for a clear, coherent plan.

The moving parts are obvious: PSG’s stance, Liverpool’s budget, the knock-on effect on Gakpo’s future. But strip away the noise and the equation is simple. If Liverpool can effectively swap Gakpo for Barcola, if they can turn a fading asset into a 20-goal, multi-role forward entering his prime, it is the kind of ruthless decision elite clubs are built on.

The clock is ticking. The window will not wait for Liverpool to make up their mind.