Liverpool Insider Reveals Two Wingers Captivating the Reds; Combined 32 Goals Last Season

Liverpool are reportedly more inclined to pursue a new wide forward this summer rather than a No.6, due to uncertainties surrounding the long-term futures of Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.

According to Ian Doyle from the Liverpool Echo, PSV’s Johan Bakayoko and West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus are two names generating significant interest.

While there is no indication that Salah plans to leave this summer, his contract expires at the end of next season, and he has drawn strong interest from Saudi Arabia. Diaz, meanwhile, is attracting attention from Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. PSG seeks a replacement for Kylian Mbappe, and while Barcelona would need to offload players to fund a move, Liverpool prefer to plan their transfers early and would not favor waiting.

Consequently, Liverpool have been linked with several wide forwards, with Bakayoko and Kudus standing out. Leeds United’s Crysencio Summerville is also a name worth noting. Collectively, Bakayoko and Kudus scored 32 goals across all competitions in the 2023/24 season. Bakayoko’s contract with PSV runs until 2026, and Kudus is tied to West Ham until 2028.

West Ham might be willing to sell Kudus to meet financial requirements, especially after Lucas Pacqueta, another key player, faced accusations of breaching the FA’s betting rules. Kudus has the advantage of having proven himself in the Premier League over the past year.

Bakayoko, though somewhat riskier, shows promising statistics. The Belgian averages 6.35 touches in the opposition box per game and ranks in the 86th percentile for non-penalty xG among players outside the top five European leagues, according to FBref. This is in contrast to Diaz’s 7.22 and Salah’s 8.74 touches per game, suggesting Bakayoko could potentially improve further in a stronger team.

Liverpool faces a choice: pursue the more proven Kudus or take a calculated risk with the potentially cheaper Bakayoko.