Liverpool are on the verge of addressing problem identified by Arne Slot before sack

Arne Slot's Liverpool comments appear to have been justified

Liverpool’s imminent signing of Bradley Barcola addresses the key issue Arne Slot pointed out prior to his sacking. Just before his dismissal on May 30, following a dismal second season in charge, the Dutchman was vocal about Liverpool’s need to sign wingers.

The manager was handed a host of new attacking talent to work with, including Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, this time last year. Yet, he sorely lacked top class options on the flank, which became increasingly clear, especially with Mohamed Salah’s struggles for form.

Slot, less than a week before he was sacked and replaced by Andoni Iraola, spoke in depth about the importance of wingers to Liverpool’s 2026/27 season and how last term’s disappointment could be rectified with the correct squad additions.

He said: "One of the reasons why everyone is talking about wingers is because Mo is leaving. It makes complete sense to think about at least one. I think last season (2025/26) gives you the answer because of how important our wingers were to our success last season.

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"They were scoring goals, providing goals, so they were a vital part of us winning the league last season and, in general in football, you see more and more focus on wingers.

"Last season, one of the reasons why we were so difficult to play against was because we had threats over on the right side, on the left side. It was not only the wingers, it is the combination between the winger and the full-back.

"Last season I think if you had to describe the style of play I would describe it as very reliant on the winger-full-back combinations. We have tried that this season again but there hasn’t been the end product that we had last season. That is not to say it is only about them. We all – me included – didn’t bring the same level."

It appears that the Liverpool hierarchy saw things in the same way as they quickly moved to sign Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5m in June.

Not content with just one signing, Liverpool's recruitment team, tasked with further bolstering the options out wide, then turned their attention to signing Paris Saint-Germain's left winger Barcola. Club bosses made the Frenchman their priority this summer and have been rewarded for their several months of effort, with the 23-year-old cleared to undergo his medical this weekend.

It comes after they agreed a £123m deal with PSG, consisting of an initial fee of £106m and a further £17m in add-ons. Barcola is set to sign a five-year deal with the Reds, and the fact Liverpool were willing to make him their second most expensive signing ever showed just how seriously they took the need to improve their options on the flanks.

Iraola has certainly been backed in the window, and the Basque head coach supported Slot’s previous claims on Thursday. He said: "I think for a club like us we need wingers who can make the difference, who can be the man who can make the difference in isolation, who can attack the spaces, who can also do the defensive work that we are going to demand from them in terms of pressing or sometimes following the full-backs.

"And also if they can provide numbers then it’s perfect. It is difficult to find someone who can tick all the boxes, but it is what we are trying to do."

Barcola operates mainly off the left-hand side. And the Reds are still expected to pursue another wide man on the opposite flank before the 11pm transfer deadline on Tuesday evening.

Liverpool have had two offers rejected by Brighton & Hove Albion for Yankuba Minteh while the club have also checked on Crystal Palace attacker Ismaila Sarr, who is also the subject of interest from Turkish giants Galatasaray.

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