Liverpool are considering Rayan as a viable alternative to Bradley Barcola if negotiations for the latter end up collapsing.
Liverpool are considering Rayan as a backup option if Bradley Barcola negotiations collapse, according to Caught Offside. Bournemouth’s Rayan is now seen as a credible fallback for Liverpool if they fail to sign Bradley Barcola. PSG’s asking price for the French attacker raises the possibility of a late collapse, despite the Merseysiders being eager to advance in negotiations, with the Brazilian now viewed as an option in a worst-case scenario.
Liverpool are clearly prioritising signing a winger in the coming period over other positions, as a wide attacker is seen as very important to Andoni Iraola’s tactical setup. The Liverpool boss used his wingers in key roles at his former club, Bournemouth, and is now eyeing a player from the south coast side.
Brazilian winger Rayan was on Liverpool’s radar at the beginning of the summer, though he was never seen as a priority. However, Liverpool could now pursue the 20-year-old Premier League winger as a fallback to top target Bradley Barcola.
Are there doubts over the Bradley Barcola deal?
Liverpool are engaged in formal negotiations with PSG for Barcola, but the deal remains deadlocked on fee. The winger is eager for the move and, more importantly, keen to leave the Parisians in search of a key role elsewhere. Personal terms are not expected to be a problem between Barcola and Liverpool, although the two clubs are yet to agree on a fee.
Liverpool hoped to seal a deal for £100 million, while PSG are reportedly demanding £140–145 million. This opens up new possibilities and casts doubt over whether the Merseysiders can get a deal over the line.
Should Liverpool decide against paying a premium fee for the France international, they may have to look elsewhere. As per Caught Offside, the Reds are considering a few options, including Rayan of Bournemouth, though they were previously linked with Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh as well as Lille’s Matias Fernandez-Pardo.
Can Liverpool sign Rayan?
As much as the idea of signing Rayan as a fallback to Barcola may seem logical, and the fact that Iraola knows the Brazilian closely following their time together at Bournemouth, this deal is far from straightforward. The Cherries had no plans to sell the Brazilian, according to reports at the beginning of the window, and they may stick to that stance.
Even if they open the door to a sale, Bournemouth are expected to demand a significant sum, which may not reflect his experience in the league so far, considering he only arrived at the Vitality Stadium in January from Brazilian side Vasco Da Gama and playing only 15 league games so far.
More importantly, the 20-year-old Premier League winger is predominantly a right winger. In the case of replacing Mohamed Salah, he would make complete sense, but Bournemouth are expected to resist a sale, further complicating Liverpool’s contingency plan should the Barcola deal collapse.