Liverpool's Winger Search: The Pursuit of Savinho

Liverpool’s search for a new winger is starting to feel like a test of nerve as much as a recruitment exercise.

Bradley Barcola remains a live option, but the numbers around the Paris Saint-Germain forward are eye-watering. A valuation in the region of £145m would force any sporting director to pause, and Richard Hughes is no different. If Liverpool refuse to be dragged into that kind of fee for a player who wants out of PSG, the hunt will move elsewhere.

And that “elsewhere” might say a lot about what Liverpool want their attack to look like in the post-Mohamed Salah era.

Life after Salah – and the profile gap

Salah’s departure at the end of June, a year before his £400k-per-week deal expired, did more than free up a wage. It ripped out a very specific profile from Liverpool’s right flank: a left-footed, goal-hungry wide forward who bent games to his will from that side.

Andoni Iraola doesn’t have that type in his squad now. That matters.

Barcola, talented as he is, doesn’t solve that problem cleanly. He’s right-footed and often looks more dangerous from the left than the right. In theory, his versatility is a gift – a France international who can operate on either flank at a high level. In practice, he doesn’t mirror what Salah brought for years at Anfield.

If Liverpool want someone who can step into that role more naturally, the answer may lie much closer to home in Premier League terms.

Savinho steps into the frame

Savinho’s name has re-emerged at just the right time.

The 22-year-old Brazilian has told Manchester City he wants out this summer, chasing what every ambitious winger of his age craves: minutes, responsibility, a proper stage. His situation has been laid bare by Fabrizio Romano, who reported that Savinho has informed City of his desire to leave in order to play more and push his development.

He has not been central to Pep Guardiola’s plans. For a player of his ceiling, that neglect bites. Previous links with Liverpool have already been floated, and the stylistic fit is hard to ignore. Unlike Barcola, Savinho offers a profile that leans closer to the Salah mould from the right-hand side, giving Iraola a more familiar weapon in that channel.

Liverpool, though, are not alone in that realisation.

Tottenham push, City hold the cards

Tottenham have moved early and decisively. Romano has stated that Savinho sits at the top of their summer shortlist, and they are treating him like a priority rather than a luxury.

TEAMtalk reports that Spurs have effectively put a timer on the deal, giving City until the weekend to get talks moving to a conclusion. If that doesn’t happen, they are prepared to walk away and look elsewhere. Cody Gakpo has even been mentioned as an alternative target for Roberto De Zerbi’s side, adding another twist to a market in which Liverpool are both hunters and potential prey.

Savinho is valued at around £60m, according to the same report, and is tied to City until 2031 under Enzo Maresca. City, then, hold a strong contractual hand. But when a player wants out and multiple top clubs are circling, leverage can shift quickly.

A strange move – or a smart one?

For some Liverpool supporters, the idea of signing a winger who could not break through at City might raise eyebrows. On the surface, it looks like a gamble.

Look a little deeper and the picture changes. Savinho has shown enough – particularly during his time with Girona – to suggest there is a serious player there, one who might flourish under a manager willing to build around his strengths rather than treat him as a rotation piece.

At £60m, he sits in a very different financial bracket to Barcola. He also offers something closer to what Liverpool actually lack: that left-footed, right-sided threat, capable of attacking the inside channels and stretching defences in ways that used to feel routine with Salah on the pitch.

For now, the pace is being set in North London. Spurs want a quick answer. City are stalling or weighing their options. The moment talks stall, though, a familiar door swings open.

If Tottenham’s pursuit hits the buffers, Richard Hughes will have a decision to make – and an opportunity to move with the kind of ruthlessness that used to define Liverpool in the market.