Liverpool's Winger Rebuild: Munoz In, Chiesa Out

Liverpool’s rebuild out wide is only just getting started.

Victor Munoz has already arrived, a £34 million deal sealed after Richard Hughes triggered the Spain World Cup winner’s release clause at Osasuna. He’s the first piece in a frontline that is being ripped up and reassembled for 2026/27.

He won’t be the last.

With Mohamed Salah gone on a free to Trabzonspor, Liverpool’s need for one-v-one specialists in wide areas has gone from priority to emergency. The recruitment brief is clear: beat your man, stretch the pitch, change games from the flanks.

And the names on the list are anything but cheap.

Barcola, Mbaye, Minteh: Liverpool go big on the wings

At the top of Liverpool’s wishlist sits Bradley Barcola. Paris Saint-Germain are digging in, demanding around £145m for the France winger. It’s an eye-watering figure, but Liverpool’s interest is serious. Barcola is viewed as the marquee wide signing, the player to reshape the attack.

From the same dressing room comes another target: Ibrahim Mbaye. The 18-year-old PSG talent is also under consideration, with the two-time European champions valuing him at around £60m. Younger, rawer, but with huge upside.

Then there’s Yankuba Minteh. Bids have already gone in for the Brighton winger and, crucially, the early signals are positive. The deal hinges on Liverpool meeting Brighton’s £70m valuation. If they do, that one could move quickly.

That kind of outlay has consequences. Someone has to make way.

Gakpo linked with Spurs, Chiesa on the chopping block

Cody Gakpo has been floated as a potential departure, with Tottenham Hotspur circling. A big-money move could bring in around £72m and ease the strain on Liverpool’s spending. It would be a significant decision, but not the only one facing Hughes.

Federico Chiesa is the other headline name edging towards the exit.

The 28-year-old arrived at Anfield in 2024, intended as a statement signing and the lone reinforcement for Arne Slot’s first squad. It never clicked. Two seasons on, Chiesa has struggled to adapt to the Premier League, struggled for form, and struggled for relevance.

All the while, his £150,000-per-week wage has sat heavy on the books. Liverpool would now gladly divert that salary towards one of their new wide targets.

Inter move in as Chiesa’s value crashes

Into this situation step Inter Milan.

The Nerazzurri have made their interest known in recent days in the former Juventus winger, who joined Liverpool for a fee that could rise to £12.5m. Inter’s plan is tied to their own business: once Luis Henrique’s move to Roma is finalised – expected to be a loan with an obligation to buy – Cristian Chivu is ready to move for Chiesa.

“It's no secret that Federico Chiesa has long been in Inter's sights: the Liverpool striker fits the profile of the player the Nerazzurri are looking for,” Sportal reported.

The issue for Liverpool is brutal but simple: Chiesa’s value has collapsed.

Inter are only prepared to pay around €10m (£8.5m) for the Euro 2020 winner, a long way short of the £20m Liverpool were initially hoping to recoup earlier in the window. Sportal describes it bluntly: “Chiesa's market value currently stands at less than €10 million: a tempting opportunity that Marotta could seize.”

For Inter, it looks like smart opportunism. For Liverpool, it looks like an expensive misstep.

A costly miscalculation for Hughes

The Chiesa deal is now being viewed inside and outside the club as a Richard Hughes disaster. Two poor seasons, no sustained impact, and a wage bill drained at £150k per week. Now, with his stock at its lowest, Liverpool are staring at a loss on a player who was supposed to be a cornerstone of Slot’s early tenure.

The Inter-Roma talks for Luis Henrique are key. As Sportal note, “The deal with Roma for Luis Henrique is therefore the key to the entire scenario: the Giallorossi are negotiating with Inter on a loan with an obligation to buy, for a total fee of around €30 million including fixed fee and bonuses.”

Once that falls into place, Inter are expected to push ahead for Chiesa.

For Liverpool, the picture is stark. They are ready to spend huge sums to reshape their wings with Barcola, Mbaye and Minteh, but they will almost certainly have to swallow a loss on Chiesa to clear the way.

The Munoz deal shows the rebuild has started. What Liverpool decide to do next with Chiesa – and how much pain they’re willing to accept on the balance sheet – will say plenty about how ruthless this new era at Anfield is prepared to be.