Happy Summer Transfer Window Deadline Day Eve everyone! It’s going to be a busy one at the Mersyside club. Bradley Barcola is signed, sealed, delivered and officially announced! That’s the easy/simple transfer narrative that we’ll cover today. Ismaila Sarr and Cody Gakpo are more complicated, of course, but all three are wingers, and thus, these situations all interrelate.
As Anfield remake their winger position group, there are transfer dominoes with the potential to fall all around.
🚨 Crystal Palace have rejected a second offer from Liverpool for Ismaïla Sarr. The Senegalese winger wants to leave and join the Reds at all costs. Sarr will not train today as he pushes for a move and no longer wants to wear the Crystal Palace shirt. @RMCsport
If Liverpool… pic.twitter.com/WXAaUP1HL8
— Fabrice Hawkins (@FabriceHawkins) August 31, 2026
Liverpool at Ipswich Town
Kickoff: Friday, Sept. 4, Portman Road, Ipswich, UK
Liverpool Preview Content: Team News Transfer Updates
PL Form, Standing: Liverpool DD 2pts, 13th Ipswich Town WL, 3pts, 12th
Result Probability, According to Google: Liverpool win 61% Ipswich win 18% Draw 21%
Ismaila Sarr
As you can see from the Tweet embedded above, a report in French outlet RMC Sport indicates that Sarr desperately wants out of Crystal Palace, and to join Liverpool, but the south London club are playing hardball.
Two Liverpool bids have rejected by Palace already, as Selhurst Park are demanding £75m for the 28-year-old Senegalese, according to various reports.
If Sarr isn’t signed, and Liverpool can’t acquire anybody else as a replacement for Gakpo, then the Dutchman will stay put. Bringing us to…
Cody Gakpo
The Dutch forward is reportedly okay with staying or leaving. While Manchester City are willing to pay £85 million for Gakpo, and personal terms won’t be an issue, this deal is still very much in doubt. And if doesn’t happen, City could again explore signing Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye instead.
Although Ndiaye’s availability for transfer hinges on whether or not Richarlison moves over from Tottenham.
And would Ndiaye go to Tottenham instead?
🚨❗️ Liverpool informed Cody Gakpo’s camp they would be ready to keep him at the club if there’s no replacement.
All depends on Ismaila Sarr situation.
Gakpo had agreed terms with City on Saturday but would also be happy to stay at Liverpool if club decide to close doors. pic.twitter.com/eqjEvcPxBU
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 31, 2026
You can see all this spelled out in the tweet above from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. Yes, this is getting ultra complicated and extremely multi-layered. So let’s just close with the nice, easy and clean transfer news
Bradley Barcola
The former PSG winger is officially a Red, and he now becomes Liverpool’s second most expensive signing ever, at £123m (including add-ons), behind only Alexander Isak (£125m) from Newcastle United, last summer.
We are delighted to announce we have completed the signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain, subject to international clearance 😁🇫🇷
🔗 https://t.co/tlATpsWclC pic.twitter.com/CUC3DPYlj9
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 31, 2026
The Barcola transfer saga was as tedious as it gets, so it’s great to see that one finally come to an end!
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.