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Meet the £100m Liverpool target who is like "Sadio Mane all over again"

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Published Aug 13, 2026, 7:10 AM GMT+1

Robbie is the Assistant Editor at Football FanCast, specialising in football analysis, transfer coverage and feature writing, with particular expertise in Manchester United, Celtic, Rangers and the wider Premier League and Scottish football.

A sports journalist since graduating from the University of Exeter in 2020, Robbie has spent more than six years covering professional football across the Premier League, EFL, SPFL and European competitions. His career has included news and feature work for 90min and more than a year covering the Premier League and Manchester United in particular at Football Faithful.

Robbie joined Football FanCast through the site's academy programme in 2022, progressing to the Exclusives team before becoming Assistant Editor in October 2023. His work combines original reporting, transfer insight, football analysis and informed feature writing, with a particular focus on understanding the context behind the latest news and what developments mean for clubs, managers and players.

He has developed extensive knowledge of Manchester United, Celtic and Rangers through regular coverage, while also bringing a broad understanding of the Premier League, EFL and Scottish football. His experience covering the game extends beyond the page, with a long-standing connection to Wycombe Wanderers that has seen him attend home and away matches for more than two decades.

Through his reporting and analysis, Robbie provides readers with credible football insight, informed transfer assessment and detailed coverage that goes beyond the headline, drawing on years of experience following clubs and competitions at close range.

The departures of Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah have signified that an era has well and truly come to a close at Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp's beloved side having been disassembled in recent years. Can a new era begin under Andoni Iraola?

The Basque boss faces a tough task following a muted summer of transfer activity on Merseyside, with the makeup of his forward line still to be decided.

Indeed, from the highs of a Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane attacking trident under Klopp, the Reds are looking a little uncertain in that department, with Hugo Ekitike sidelined, Cody Gakpo courting interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Alexander Isak still aiming to get back fit and firing.

Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah, Bobby Firmino and Sadio Mane celebrate

Perhaps Iraola needs a statement signing to really spice things up a tad - will that player be Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola?

How Barcola performed against Liverpool in the Champions League

Even with Salah having left Anfield behind for Trabzonspor, Liverpool's leading target appears to be another left-winger instead, with Barcola seemingly the man that FSG are desperate to sign.

France's Bradley Barcola scores their second goal

Much may depend on the fee, and the Ligue 1 side's ability to snag a replacement, but bringing Barcola into the fold would be a marquee move, that's for sure, the Frenchman already "one of the best left-wingers in Europe", as per Como first-team scout, Ben Mattinson.

The 23-year-old was notably part of the PSG squad that dumped Arne Slot's men out of the Champions League last season, albeit while missing the first leg with an ankle injury, prior to making just 12 touches in a 38-minute outing in the return leg at Anfield.

Barcola vs Liverpool wingers 2024-25 (timeless)

Not overly impressive then against his potential future employers, although Barcola did line up against the Reds the previous season, starting both legs of that last-16 tie.

He did only make 17 touches on Merseyside, but he had impressed prior to that at the Parc des Princes, racking up three key passes, and attempting four dribbles, proving a real handful for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Of course, his minutes have been reduced by the presence of a certain Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - the Georgian actually lining up on the right that night - with a move away perhaps needed to get him firing again.

That said, Liverpool would be wise not to put all their eggs in Barcola's basket.

Liverpool could make shock move for £100m Barcola alternative

It's been a summer in which the so-called 'Big Six' have looked to strengthen from within the Premier League, be it Chelsea's signing of Morgan Rogers, Arsenal's move for Bruno Guimaraes, or Manchester City's capture of Elliot Anderson.

Liverpool have taken a different course so far, bringing in the young pairing of Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz, as well as the experienced Ronald Araujo on loan.

Barcola would continue that trend of looking to the continent for reinforcements, although there may also be options a little closer to home, including Everton's Iliman Ndiaye.

As per TEAMtalk, while the Toffees are still desperate to keep hold of the 26-year-old, amid rampant interest from Saudi Arabia, the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal are lurking in the background, potentially ready to pounce.

Of course, for FSG, in particular, signing the Senegalese star from the Hill Dickinson wouldn't be straightforward, not least with their Merseyside rivals set to demand upwards of £100m.

Ndiaye would seemingly break the bank, yet as a Premier League-proven alternative to Barcola, he certainly has his merits, having been the leading figure for David Moyes' side over recent seasons.

In 2024/25, for instance, the ex-Marseille man scored nine Premier League goals in his debut campaign at the club, prior to scoring six and notching a further three assists in 2025/26.

Not astounding numbers, it must be said, but there does feel like a player there waiting to explode, with that part of the reason why one Premier League analyst has described him as being like "Mane all over again".

Like his international colleague, Ndiaye is such a handful on either flank or in a central role, having actually ranked second in the division last season in terms of total successful dribbles completed.

Successful Dribbles - 25/26 Premier League

Player

Total Dribbles

Doku	84
Ndiaye	73
Minteh	65
Semenyo	59
Kayode	55
Bowen	53
Kudus	52
Cherki	51
Summerville	51
Anderson	50

In a similar vein to Mane, he's an electric, dynamic forward who's so comfortable on either wing and on either foot, scoring six with his right and three with his left in 2024/25.

There's also so much to like about what he offers out of possession, much like his Senegal teammate, with Ndiaye winning six duels per game last term, alongside making 5.6 ball recoveries.

Everton's Iliman Ndiaye celebrates Thierno Barry scoring their third goal

Looking back to Mane's final season at Southampton, for instance, his record wasn't too dissimilar, winning 6.1 duels and averaging 2.1 successful dribbles per game, albeit while comfortably ahead with 17 goals and assists chalked up.

Mane was a rising Premier League talent with the Saints, yet went to a whole new level under Klopp's guidance at Anfield.