Liverpool's Summer Rebuild: Wingers Under Scrutiny

Liverpool’s summer rebuild is taking clear shape on the wings – and it looks ruthless.

With Mohamed Salah heading for the exit on a free despite a year left on his deal, Anfield is braced for a dramatic reshaping of its forward line. Salah will not be the only wide player under the microscope. The message from the club is blunt: nobody in those positions is untouchable.

Federico Chiesa has already pushed the issue. The Italian has made it clear he needs to leave to revive his career unless new head coach Andoni Iraola can guarantee him a bigger role. Cody Gakpo is also in play. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Liverpool will listen to “important proposals” for the Dutchman, a striking shift for a player once seen as a long-term piece of the attack.

Some of the noise around Gakpo has bordered on fanciful, with claims Tottenham are ready to smash their transfer record for him. The more realistic scenario lies on the continent. TEAMtalk report that Liverpool have floated Gakpo as a makeweight to RB Leipzig in an attempt to drag down the fee for Yan Diomande.

The 19-year-old Ivorian is the headline target for the flanks. The Athletic report Leipzig now want more than €130m (£112m) for Diomande, a price that would test even Liverpool’s renewed financial muscle. Yet the club are not backing away. David Ornstein has detailed how Liverpool are in a stronger position than PSG to strike personal terms with the player and that talks between the clubs have already begun.

One winger in, though, will not be enough. If Salah goes and either Chiesa or Gakpo – or both – follow, Liverpool’s wide options will be ripped open. The recruitment team know they cannot rely on a single marquee arrival to plug that gap.

That is where Francisco Trincao comes in.

The 26-year-old Sporting CP winger has forced his way back onto the radar of Europe’s elite after quietly rebuilding his reputation in Portugal. A recent report in Correio da Manha revealed Liverpool were giving serious thought to triggering a move for Trincao, and the change in the dugout has not altered that stance. Iraola’s appointment “has done nothing to cool interest” from Anfield, the report stressed.

Trincao’s journey has not been straightforward. Once a highly touted prospect at Barcelona, he struggled to convince during an underwhelming loan spell at Wolves in 2021/22. From there he returned to Sporting on loan, then made the switch permanent in 2023. Back home, his game has caught fire.

Last season he delivered 13 goals and 18 assists in all competitions, a haul of 31 goal contributions that underlines just how dangerous he has become in the final third. His influence was recognised across the league as he earned a place in the Primeira Liga team of the season for the second year running. A left-footer who can unlock defences and finish himself, he ticks a lot of the boxes Liverpool’s data department value.

Now comes the decisive stage. Portuguese outlet Record report that Liverpool are the “closest” club to signing Trincao, with the plan built around activating his €60m (£52m) release clause. Record go further, stating Liverpool sit “top of the list” of likely suitors to move this summer.

A double swoop – Diomande as the crown jewel and Trincao as a ready-made contributor – would represent a bold answer to the looming loss of Salah and the uncertainty around Gakpo and Chiesa. It would also mark a clear shift in profile: younger, hungrier, and tailored to Iraola’s aggressive, high-tempo football.

The numbers are huge, the stakes even higher. Liverpool’s next step on the wings will say as much about the club’s future identity as it does about their transfer power.