Richard Hughes risking it all with £85m forward deal

Richard Hughes risking it all with £85m forward deal Liverpool have wrapped up the signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. The French winger, 23, joins for a fee of around £123m inclusive of add-ons - but Liverpool are not done there. Richard Hughes and Andoni Iraola still want another forward added to the squad before Tuesday’s transfer deadline. The names in the frame to arrive are Yankuba Minteh of Brighton and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr. Neither will be cheap and considering the near-record fee paid for Barcola departures are now necessary. Gakpo moves closer to Man City deal Cody Gakpo is reportedly closing in on a move to Manchester City - with an £85m fee close to being agreed with Enzo Maresca’s side. The 27-year-old is under contract at Liverpool until 2030 - worth £250k per week - and has started the Iraola era in good form. He sparkled against both Newcastle and Nottingham Forest in the opening Premier League matches of the season. Gakpo’s versatility has benefitted Iraola in the early days of his reign - especially given the void on the right side of the attack and the catastrophic injury suffered by Hugo Ekitike. £85m Gakpo to City deal is a massive risk City clearly admire that kind of adaptability too and they are also short on forward options having offloaded Savio and Omar Marmoush to Tottenham. In light of those shortages Liverpool have now been warned that they are taking a MASSIVE risk in selling Gakpo to a domestic rival. Writing on BBC Sport Liverpool reporter Aadam Patel understands the arithmetic but clearly feels that Gakpo isn’t a player the Reds can do without. Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets Open an account and place a qualifying bet of £10 at min odds of 1/5 (1.2) or greater. 18+New UK/ROI customers. Min £5 deposit. Bet Credits available on settlement of qualifying bets, capped at £10 stake. Min odds 1/5 (1.20). Bet Credits expire in 7 days. Excl. Cashed Out/Free Bets/Boosted odds. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org £30 FREE CLAIM NOW Let's hope Richard Hughes doesn't regret it “All summer, the understanding has been that if the club bring in the attacking players they want, they would not stand in the way of Gakpo if a solid offer came in,” the report reads. “Financially it will be a great outcome for Liverpool if they agree a deal for about £85m given they signed Gakpo for £35m from PSV Eindhoven after the World Cup in 2022. “But with Hugo Ekitike missing until 2027 with a ruptured Achilles tendon, and Isak's injury struggles, they would be taking a massive risk letting Gakpo leave.” Barcola is a highly talented player but will clearly take some time to bed in following his move from PSG as he has played no football so far this season. Sarr and Minteh are more Premier League-proven but Minteh isn’t expected to be fit until October or November. The Reds are therefore swapping a known quantity - and hero of their 2024/25 Premier League title-winning campaign - for something far more uncertain. Let’s hope it pays off and Richard Hughes doesn’t live to regret another deal