Liverpool agree Bakayoko transfer as talks open with Leny Yoro alternative in ideal July

Liverpool lost out on Leny Yoro to rivals Manchester United, but there’s no need to press the panic button… yet. The month of July could still be a productive one for our recruitment department as we await the return of several key members of the playing staff following the conclusion of the Euros and Copa […]

The post Liverpool agree Bakayoko transfer as talks open with Leny Yoro alternative in ideal July appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool lost out on Leny Yoro to rivals Manchester United, but there’s no need to press the panic button… yet.

The month of July could still be a productive one for our recruitment department as we await the return of several key members of the playing staff following the conclusion of the Euros and Copa America.

The only question that remains is where do we go from here?

Firstly, how did Liverpool miss out on Leny Yoro?

The financials of the deal simply couldn’t be reconciled with given we’d be effectively taking a big risk on a player with 60 senior appearances for Lille.

Whilst there may be no question regarding Yoro’s talent and potential, Liverpool would always much rather mitigate risk as much as possible.

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Now the Reds will be forced to cast their gaze elsewhere and consider their considerable shortlist of centre-back talents.

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What’s the biggest priority for Liverpool?

The problem with the Yoro transfer was always going to be convincing the player he had a pathway into the first-team. We couldn’t guarantee that, but Manchester United (addressing a dire defensive situation) very much could.

Given the options we have in Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Jarell Quansah and, perhaps now, Sepp van den Berg, that’s understandable.

However, it does raise a question about priorities. Is there a bigger need for Liverpool to focus on a right-sided wide forward given the lack of suitable alternatives for Mo Salah? What about the ongoing need for a more static No.6?

What we’d like to see Liverpool get done in July

So then, what now?

Richard Hughes made clear this is an opportunist’s market, though just how “opportunistic” Liverpool’s recruitment department will be remains to be seen.

If we’re going off priorities and what seems to be available in the market, we reckon signing forward backup is probably a more likely eventuality than landing a new holding midfielder, as things currently stand.

Who appeals most? We know there have been several links to the following:

• Yohan Bakayoko (PSV)
• Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund)
• Mohammed Kudus (West Ham)

For the sake of argument, let’s assume we’re still keen on adding a left-footed right-sided attacker to the squad and strike Malen’s name from the list.

There’s a strong argument to be made for either one of Bakayoko or Kudus. The former, whilst having featured in a weaker league in the Eredivisie, has still impressed in the Netherlands and will reportedly be available for around £43m (HLN Nieuws).

The latter will set Richard Hughes and Co. back a few more pretty pennies, particularly after his already hefty £85m release clause expired. Nonetheless, the 23-year-old delivered an impressive debut campaign in the English top-flight and only looks set to get better as the years roll by.

If there’s one piece of business we could get done before embarking on our tour of America, it’s most likely to be a new forward. If you’re asking us to pick between Kudus and Bakayoko, we’d probably back the latter for a move to Anfield.

Is a new centre-back on the cards?

It’s still a more realistic eventuality than signing a new No.6, as far as we’re concerned at Empire of the Kop.

Liverpool still have alternatives they could pursue in the form of:

• Goncalo Inacio
• Marc Guehi
• Piero Hincapie
• Odilon Kossonou
• Mo Simakan
• Willian Pacho
• Arthur Theate
• Antonio Silva
• Ricardo Calafiori
• David Hancko

We know reports of the Reds’ interest in Guehi are wide of the mark whilst it seems Calafiori is destined for a switch to rivals Arsenal.

Early talk of admiration for Frankfurt’s Pacho has likewise since died down whilst interest in Leipzig’s Simakan has baffled some commentators.

With that in mind, your standout name in that list is, quite probably, Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio. Though, we’re open to arguments being made for Hincapie and Silva.

Hopefully, if we’re getting a first offensive signing over the line before August, it would be reassuring to hear that Liverpool have also opened talks with the Primeira Liga centre-back. Or at the very least a convincing alternative given the lack of a centre-back pathway could prove just as unappetising for the 22-year-old Portugal international.

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