The Salah era ends in a soap opera, the rebuild begins in earnest
It is not the departure itself that stings. It is the manner of it. Mohamed Salah, 195 goals for this club, choosing Besiktas after a stalled negotiation that Besiktas' own president called "unbelievable" in its demands (1). His wife wanted a Muslim country, the Turkish press reports (14). Fine. But the image of your greatest modern forward exiting via a collapsed agent deal and a club president airing the laundry is, frankly, beneath the player and beneath the club.
The good news is that Liverpool are not waiting around for sentiment. Club-to-club talks with PSG for Bradley Barcola are underway (2). He is 23, fast, direct, and the club's top target to fill the right-sided hole. Arsenal are not in the race (2) (4). That matters. Liverpool are moving first.
Martinez, Diomande, and the long game
Samuel Martinez is undergoing his medical, a £750,000 deal from Atletico Nacional (5). But he cannot officially join until April 2027, when he turns 18, because of post-Brexit rules (6). This is a signing for the future, not the US tour. A separate £2.6m defender is expected on that tour before a likely loan (7).
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More interesting is Yan Diomande. Liverpool have contacted his representatives (5). Arsenal made calls too (Reddit 2). The race is on. The club are stacking young talent, and that is smart, but fans want to know who starts at right wing in August.
Elliott wants in, Mac Allister speculation grows
Harvey Elliott is back and, in Andoni Iraola's words, showing "eagerness to show up, get super ready" (11). After a disappointing loan at Aston Villa, he wants to prove himself. Iraola sounds ready to give him that chance in pre-season. A motivated Elliott is an asset.
Less reassuring: a Spanish report claims Alexis Mac Allister has been offered to Real Madrid (12). Whether you believe it or not, the noise exists, and coming after Ibrahima Konate's links to the same club, it feeds a narrative Liverpool cannot afford. Lose one World Cup winner, fine. Lose two and the midfield rebuild starts looking thinner than it should.
The Kone and Svensson files
Liverpool are in the race for Roma's Manu Kone, priced around £43m (8) (13). He would add bite to a midfield that needs depth. But the more intriguing link is Daniel Svensson. Dortmund's left-back is described by Niko Kovac as a "Duracell bunny" who runs 12 or 13 kilometres a game and "reminds me a bit of Joshua Kimmich" (9). Liverpool reportedly have a "concrete plan" to sign him as competition for Milos Kerkez (9). That is a profile that makes sense under Iraola's intensity demands.
What to watch
The Barcola talks are the headline. If Liverpool close that before the US tour, the post-Salah era has its first signature signing. If it drags into August, anxiety builds. Also watch the Diomande situation. Arsenal sniffing around makes this a race Liverpool need to win. And keep an eye on Mac Allister's body language in pre-season. The Real Madrid rumour will resurface every quiet week until the window shuts.
