Liverpool have made Yan Diomande their priority target this summer, identifying the 19-year-old as the main signing they want from RB Leipzig. Diomande is currently starring for Côte d’Ivoire at the World Cup after an astonishing debut season in Germany. The club face a transfer battle: Liverpool would need to spend around $150 million and fend off interest from Paris Saint-Germain. Their opening $115 million bid has already been rejected.

Given that picture, the Reds must prepare credible alternatives in case Diomande opts for PSG or a deal with Leipzig cannot be agreed. None of the other options replicate the exact profile of Diomande, but each offers a different route to bolster Liverpool’s forward options.

Bradley Barcola would be the headline alternative. The 23-year-old is at PSG and is currently representing France at the World Cup. With Diomande in the mix, Barcola could drop from fourth-choice to fifth-choice at Paris, which may force him to seek guaranteed minutes elsewhere. PSG appear hesitant to sell, but that stance could change if they recruit new forwards. Barcola recorded fifty goal involvements across the last two seasons, would probably command a fee similar to Diomande, and has the explosive speed, balletic agility and elite-level experience that make him a high-upside signing. Arsenal are also reported to be among potential suitors.

Said El Mala is a less familiar name to England but earned a breakout season with Köln in 2025–26, playing 36 matches and scoring 13 goals. The 19-year-old missed out on Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for the World Cup but has attracted concrete interest, including a $57 million offer from Brentford that he declined. The chance to join Iraola’s project and play in the Premier League and Champions League could tempt him.

Yankuba Minteh and Matias Fernandez-Pardo round out the list. Minteh, 21, already has two Premier League seasons and 17 goal involvements, and famously troubled Liverpool during Brighton’s 2–1 win in March with his pace and a decisive cross. Fernandez-Pardo, 21, followed a strong 2024–25 with eight goals and six assists in 2025–26, can play across the frontline and has appeared as a substitute for Belgium at the World Cup. Each represents a different balance of immediate contribution and long-term potential.

Liverpool have turned down Inter Milan’s reported €25 million offer for Curtis Jones as the clubs remain apart on valuation. The bid was described by The Athletic as a “verbal offer” and came significantly short of the fee Liverpool are seeking.

The Reds are believed to want roughly €40 million, using the fee Tottenham Hotspur paid Atlético Madrid for Conor Gallagher in January as a benchmark. Inter’s interest in Jones dates back to the January window, when Liverpool rejected an initial proposal for a loan with an option to buy.

Reports say Inter’s latest approach was “instantly rebuffed” and that Liverpool intend to stand firm on their valuation, making a deal this summer unlikely. It is understood the club would prefer to risk the possibility of losing Jones for free next summer rather than accept a cut-price sale now.

That stance is influenced by recent departures. This summer Liverpool allowed Ibrahima Konaté, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah to leave without recouping a transfer fee. Trent Alexander-Arnold departed the club for around €10 million ($11.5 million) a year ago, as part of an agreement to join Real Madrid before his contract expired.

Jones, 25, is under contract until 2027, making this summer the last realistic chance to generate a significant transfer fee for the midfielder. The club’s accounting context also factors in. Under the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules, the sale of an academy graduate would count as “pure profit” on the books, a financial reality that has influenced discussions.

A local figure at Anfield, Jones joined the club at the age of nine and has made well over 200 senior appearances since his debut in 2019. He is a six-cap England international, has captained the side on more than one occasion and is valued for his versatility and tidy possession play. Some outlets, including Gazzetta dello Sport, claim Jones views his time at Liverpool as already over, but at present the club’s position makes an immediate transfer unlikely.

Víctor Muñoz completed a surprise transfer to Liverpool following a breakout season at Osasuna, a move that came despite Newcastle United being in pole position. Liverpool hijacked the deal for $46 million (€40 million), the club’s first official signing under new boss Andoni Iraola. Muñoz will return from representing Spain at the 2026 World Cup and face the familiar challenges of a new country, league and team, and possibly a new shirt number.

Muñoz most recently wore 21 during his debut campaign with Osasuna. The 21 shirt is technically available at Liverpool after Konstantinos Tsimikas left it vacant when he joined Roma on loan. Tsimikas is expected to return to Merseyside, but his future in red remains uncertain. There is a reality in which he could be on his way out this summer, but reports suggest Tsimikas wants to stay and compete with Milos Kerkez for minutes in the final year of his contract. Should he get his wish, he could once again wear 21.

At Real Madrid, Muñoz has worn several numbers. He had brief first-team appearances wearing 44, which he only wore four times. He spent more time with Real Madrid Castilla wearing 23 and 9. The 23 shirt is available at Anfield after Luis Díaz moved to Bayern Munich, while the 9 is currently owned by Alexander Isak.

For Spain, the 22-year-old dons the 25 shirt, which belongs to Giorgi Mamardashvili at Liverpool. Muñoz’s choices were constrained by La Liga rules that require first-team players to wear numbers between 1 and 25; that restriction explains why players sometimes change numbers when they move between leagues. The winger’s shirt decision at Liverpool will be resolved after his return and as the squad settles under Iraola.