Yan Diomande in, Mo Salah out: Liverpool's biggest priorities for the 2026 summer transfer window

Liverpool are preparing themselves for one of the most pivotal transfer windows in their modern history.

After watching Arsenal claim their Premier League title last season, the decision makers at Anfield dismissed Arne Slot from his management post and hired Andoni Iraola.

The squad the 43-year-old has inherited is talented, and many of his players would not look out of place in a title-challenging team, but there are also serious gaps that need to be addressed.

Here, Sports Mole explores Liverpool's priorities for the summer transfer window.

Mo Salah replacement and Hugo Ekitike cover

The departure of Mohamed Salah brought to an end one of the greatest careers any player has had in the Premier League, and his exit from Anfield presents a significant problem for those at the club.

While moving the 34-year-old on may have been the right decision give he only scored 12 goals and registered 10 assists in 41 games - a respectable total compared to other wingers but far below his usual production standards - the Reds suffered without their talisman consistently delivering in the final third.

Striker Alexander Isak will likely be tasked with replacing the Egyptian's goalscoring considering he has twice netted at least 21 Premier League goals in a season, but the Swede will not be able to replace the winger's creativity.

It is perhaps no surprise that RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande has reportedly been targeted as the heir to Salah on the right, as while the 19-year-old is still young, he has demonstrated an exceptional ability to cause havoc around the opposition's penalty area.

Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola has also been touted as a target for the Merseysiders, but he is far more comfortable on the left side of attack, and he specialises in finishing moves off himself rather than creating shooting opportunities for others.

Though signing either player would represent a significant boost to the squad, Liverpool will need more than one forward to arrive at Anfield this summer if they are to compete for the title in 2026-27.

Should Federico Chiesa leave as expected, then the only options in attack that Andoni Iraola will have at the start of the season as things stand will be Cody Gakpo, Rio Nguomoha and Isak.

Hugo Ekitike is recovering from an Achilles injury, and while he may be able to recover from the injury by the turn of the year, he will almost certainly need months of action on the pitch before he returns to his previous level after being sidelined for such a prolonged period.

Bringing both Barcola and Diomande to Liverpool is unrealistic, but Liverpool cannot head into 2026-27 with either three or four choices for three spots up front if Iraola is to experience a degree of success in his first season at the club.

© Imago / Fotoarena / Marcelo Machado de Melo

Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch replacements?

Regardless of whether Alexis Mac Allister leaves this summer amid links to Real Madrid, the Merseysiders must make additions in midfield.

Ryan Gravenberch's defensive flaws reared their head in 2025-26, while the sudden nature of Mac Allister's physical decline was alarming.

Iraola has often asked his midfielders to be aggressive out of possession and to cover large distances, something that both Gravenberch and Mac Allister could struggle with next term.

However, Premier League clubs are set to demand enormous fees for their star midfielders, as seen by Nottingham Forest reportedly asking for roughly £120m from Manchester City for Elliot Anderson.

His sale may help Crystal Palace set a price for Adam Wharton, while Bournemouth could make prizing Alex Scott from the Vitality a costly endeavour.

Liverpool must be careful with their summer budget, and the extortionate prices demanded by Premier League clubs may force them to look for cheaper alternatives.

Ligue 1 has a strong talent pool that the Reds could pluck from, with the likes of Lamine Camara of Monaco and Mamadou Sangare of Lens representing cheaper targets.

The Merseysiders have most recently been linked with a move for Lille star Ayyoub Bouaddi, who excelled for Morocco against Brazil at the World Cup.

Whether Liverpool could afford to regularly start the 18-year-old remains to be seen, but the club's hierarchy cannot allow Iraola to head into next season without reinforcing his midfield.

© Iconsport / SPP Sport Press Photo. /Alamy Live News

Right-back: Conor Bradley replacement?

Conor Bradley was the designated replacement in 2025-26 for Trent Alexander-Arnold, but he failed to impress with his performances on the pitch.

Backup Jeremie Frimpong was also disappointing, though he is arguably more suited to playing as a wing-back rather than on the right side of a four-man defence.

Bradley is currently dealing with a serious knee injury, and while there have been rumours that he is targeting a return to training close to the start of 2026-27, heading into the new campaign with him and Frimpong as options at the back could be risky.

Given the amount of work that Liverpool have to complete elsewhere, trying to sign someone like Michael Kayode from Brentford may not be within their transfer budget.

Dominik Szoboszlai was the team's best performer at right-back last season, so perhaps he will have to fill in at right-back yet again if the Reds cannot find the financial headroom to bring in another defender.