Liverpool are now pushing hard to sign a top player with “Sadio Mane's finishing ability”, with Richard Hughes believing this summer is their best chance to get a deal over the line.
The Reds are eyeing a new striker who could become Andoni Iraola's first choice
Andoni Iraola now looks set to replace Arne Slot in the Anfield dugout, with the Dutchman sacked after failing to deliver a trophy in his second season, but Jamie Carragher is not entirely convinced the former AFC Bournemouth manager is cut out for the role.
Carragher is a fan of Iraola's “hot-hot” football, but also doubts whether he will be able to replicate that style of football on Merseyside.
“My concern is, you can play at that intensity when you play every three days, and that was once a week against Bournemouth. That's completely different.
“Every time you bring in a manager from a top team in England, you think: 'Can he win me the league?'
“That's a big sign around him, any manager coming in, but Liverpool have a manager who won the league, that's why I was always sad.”
Liverpool are eyeing a move for a new striker
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Hughes is working to appoint Iraola, with Liverpool's sporting director also pushing hard to sign RB Leipzig striker Yan Diomande, who would command a transfer fee of around £87m.
There is a belief that the upcoming transfer window will be the Reds' best chance to land Diomande, their forward target, and they are eager to do a deal, with the player already open to leaving, despite Leipzig's eagerness to tie him down to a new contract.
Bayern Munich are also keen to sign the 19-year-old, while the Bundesliga champions are willing to wait until next summer, which could suit Leipzig, who want to hold on to the youngster for at least one more year.
Redmen TV's Dan Clubbe suggested the youngster has the “finishing ability of Sadio Mane”, which is particularly impressive, given that the Senegalese striker has scored 120 goals in 269 appearances in the Merseyside wonderland.
Diomande, on the other hand, enjoyed a fine debut season in the Bundesliga, scoring 12 goals and nine assists in 33 games for RB Leipzig, who finished third in the table.
At that time, the Ivory Coast player with nine games, who is about to play in the World Cup, was playing on both wings, showing flexibility, but he was playing on the right, which shows that he can be a good player to fill the place of Mohamed Salah.
However, the Reds may have to break the bank to get the deal done, as the £87m transfer fee would make the star their third most expensive signing.
Read next: Liverpool set to sign Diomande's alternative
Better than Diomande: Liverpool ready to sign Iraola's “next Mbappe”.
Liverpool are working to sign a few attacking players to restore the squad that challenged for the Slot title.
