Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Bradley Barcola plea, Stefan Bajcetic interest, latest updates today

Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live Liverpool transfer news blog on Tuesday, August 18!

Andoni Iraola's squad have a few days of preparation left before taking on Newcastle United in their opening Premier League battle of the season, but a couple of midfielders could depart before then.

Stay entirely up to date with the latest Liverpool done deals and rumours with our social-led live blog below!

Today's Liverpool transfer headlines

Exclusive: Emile Heskey issues Bradley Barcola demand

Stefan Bajcetic 'in talks' to join La Liga club

Liverpool transfer news today: What's happening on August 18?

The clearest signal yet that Bradley Barcola's exit from Paris Saint-Germain is close came when both the France winger and Ibrahim Mbaye were left out of the PSG squad for the Trophee des Champions on August 16, with both names reportedly being assessed for their fit at Anfield as Liverpool pursue a two-winger strategy to replace Cody Gakpo.

Liverpool are actively working on signing two wide attackers in the final weeks of the window, with Barcola and Mbaye the names understood to represent the club's first and second choices in that department.

Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey gave his view on the Gakpo situation in an exclusive interview, predicting that the Dutch winger would leave for Tottenham Hotspur if the right bid is tabled and demanding that the club complete the Barcola signing as a direct replacement.

Liverpool are understood to have no desire to enter the season without a Mohamed Salah replacement in place, and with Barcola and Mbaye both absent from PSG's squad at the weekend, the moment of maximum opportunity may have arrived.

Elsewhere, Curtis Jones dropped what was interpreted as the clearest indication yet of his own departure after he was seen to follow Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni on Instagram, before the Italian swiftly returned the follow.

Jones is in the final year of his contract, and Liverpool are not expected to sign a direct midfield replacement, instead choosing to give 19-year-old Trey Nyoni greater opportunities should Inter's interest result in a departure at a fee in the region of £30m to £35m.

A La Liga club is separately believed to have opened talks to sign another Liverpool midfielder - the injury-plagued Stefan Bajcetic - adding further outgoing complexity as the club reshape their engine room.