Liverpool's Winger Search: Barcola vs. Savinho

Liverpool’s winger search has entered the impatient phase of the summer.

Mohamed Salah is gone. The 34-year-old walked away from Anfield at the end of June after agreeing to tear up his £400,000‑a‑week deal a year early, and with him went a profile Liverpool have built their attack around for seven seasons: a left‑footed right winger who bends games to his will from that inside channel.

Right now, that role is empty. And the options on the table could not be more different.

Barcola: Big fee, different profile

Bradley Barcola has been the loudest name in the conversation. Paris Saint‑Germain value the France international at around £145m, a number that would smash Liverpool’s transfer record and test the resolve of Richard Hughes in his first summer as the club’s sporting chief.

Barcola is talented, explosive, and already used to the glare of a superclub. But he is not Salah.

He is right‑footed. He prefers the left flank, where he can drive inside onto that stronger foot, and many scouts believe he is more dangerous there than on the right. He can cover both sides of the front line, yes, but stylistically he drags Liverpool’s attack in a different direction rather than replacing what has been lost.

For a club that has lived off the chaos created by a left‑footed right winger, that matters.

The Salah template – and the Savinho alternative

Andoni Iraola inherits a squad without that trademark left‑footed, right‑wing threat. Diogo Jota, Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Núñez all offer variation across the front line, but none naturally mirror Salah’s angle of attack.

That is where Savinho comes into focus.

The 22‑year‑old, on Manchester City’s books after his breakout with Girona, has told the Premier League champions he wants out this summer in search of regular first‑team football. His situation has been laid bare by Fabrizio Romano, who reports that Savinho has informed City of his desire to leave.

“Savio wants to play more and develop in his career, MCFC have been informed by the winger. All in Man City hands now,” Romano wrote on X, underlining the player’s stance after limited faith from Pep Guardiola.

Savinho is not a like‑for‑like clone of Salah, but his wide-forward profile, ability to attack from the flank and scope for development make him a far closer stylistic fit than Barcola for that right‑wing berth Iraola is missing.

Tottenham push, Liverpool watch

There is a complication. Tottenham.

Romano also states that Savinho sits at the very top of Spurs’ attacking shortlist, a position he has reportedly held since May. TEAMtalk add another layer: Roberto De Zerbi’s side have given City a deadline, pushing for a resolution by the weekend before they walk away and turn to other options, with Cody Gakpo even mentioned as a possible alternative target.

That ultimatum changes the dynamic. Spurs want clarity. City must decide whether to cash in on a player under contract until 2031, a long deal that gives them control but also inflates the fee. TEAMtalk value Savinho at around £60m, a far cry from the £145m being floated for Barcola but still a serious outlay.

If Tottenham and City cannot find common ground quickly, the door swings open.

Hughes’ dilemma

From Liverpool’s perspective, Savinho would be a curious signing on the surface. A winger who could not break into Guardiola’s plans is not the obvious heir to one of the Premier League’s defining forwards.

Look a little deeper and the picture shifts. Savinho is 22. He has already shown in Girona colours that there is a high‑ceiling attacker waiting for the right coach and the right platform. Iraola’s aggressive, front‑foot style could offer exactly that.

The choice for Hughes is stark. Stretch the budget to its limit for Barcola, a marquee arrival who changes the shape of the frontline, or move for a cheaper, more Salah‑adjacent option in Savinho if Spurs step aside.

Liverpool have spent the early summer scanning the market. The clock is now ticking on others. If Tottenham’s deadline passes without a deal, does Hughes let the opportunity drift by, or does he move decisively for a winger who might just restore that missing menace on the right?