Excess Demand

From Yan Diomande to who?

So I delayed writing this piece until Sunday night, and I’m glad I did. Because just as I sat down to put some words together, news broke that Yan Diomande has opted to join Paris Saint-Germain rather than Liverpool this summer.

Not good. Not good at all. Where do we go from here?

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So before I delve into the latest developments, I want to cover a bit of background information for those who haven’t followed this Substack every single week for the past year.

I can’t stress the importance of having a good right winger. To have a complete attacking unit, you need threat from the left, the right and through the centre. Think about all of the best teams in history and you’ll realise what I mean.

Real Madrid had Gareth Bale on the right. Liverpool had Mohamed Salah. Bayern Munich had Arjen Robben. Manchester City had Riyad Mahrez. Barcelona had Lionel Messi, and now Lamine Yamal.

All of those guys prefer to use their left foot. And only 25 per cent of players are left footed. If you haven’t got the message yet, what I’m trying to say is finding an elite player for the right wing is seriously hard, but important if you plan on conquering the world. You’re looking for a needle in a haystack.

Now, it’s worth noting that Diomande is right footed, but he’s clearly more than capable on that side. Losing his signature to PSG is a massive blow, not least because the Reds need a starter over there ahead of the new campaign.

The next player in line really isn’t clear. Like, I literally wrote this piece two weeks ago. The current market looks set to test how Liverpool usually navigate transfer windows. Whenever there’s no viable option, the suits at the club tend to wait, even if that means being handicapped for a season.

But after finishing fifth last term, going trophyless and sacking Arne Slot, surely Richard Hughes can’t afford to appoint Andoni Iraola without presenting him with a starting right winger?

Then you’ve got the rumours being spun on social media. Apparently the list of alternatives to Diomande consists of Said El Mala, Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Bradley Barcola.

Well, for a start, all of those guys are right footed. Second, they all favour the left side of the pitch, like Rio Ngumoha and Cody Gakpo. In other words, they aren’t proper alternatives. Wingers, yes. Right wingers, no.

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So what happens now? It’s going to be super interesting to see how Hughes moves between now and September. I don’t think the window has started well for him. Like, at all.

Ibrahima Konaté goes for free. Denzel Dumfries signs for Madrid. Anthony Gordon goes to Barcelona. Diomande to PSG. Inter Milan bid £5 for Curtis Jones. Now, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool genuinely wanted any of those guys. But there’s no smoke without fire.

There’s a chance that, right now, Hughes is actively chasing a centre-back, right-back, right winger, left winger and central midfielder. There’s lots to do, and I’m inclined to think Iraola will be left short somewhere.

It can’t be on the right flank. But then, at the same time, you can’t go and sign a player who simply isn’t good enough. And you can’t go and spent over £100m on Rayan, either.

I like Barcola, but I’m very much in the camp of wanting a right winger who actually wants to be on the right wing. A natural fit. Someone who’s used to playing there. Not a square peg in a round hole.

Yankuba Minteh is an obvious stylistic match. Whether he’s good enough is another question. But he’s a winger, with pace, who can dribble, knows the right and favours his left boot.

Maghnes Akliouche is probably worth watching, too. The Frenchman has been heavily linked with PSG, but what happens now that Diomande has agreed to join?

The AS Monaco talent has been on my radar for years, but he doesn’t quite fit the winger mould in my book. I’d paint him similar to Eberechi Eze or Jack Grealish rather than him being a threat in behind stroke one-on-one specialist.

Maybe he’ll still join the champions of Europe, who knows? But if he doesn’t, he’s good, left footed, favours the right, two years left on his contract and he’s 24 years old. Stay tuned.

Jarrod Bowen is a player I’d be reluctant to sign. Takefusa Kubo just doesn’t seem to possess any real output. And when I last watched Johan Bakayoko, he just didn’t look Premier League ready. Brajan Grudu is cool, but Liverpool? I’m not sure.

Karim Adeyemi is fast but I’m got doubts about everything else. Francisco Conceição is technical and clean, but might be too lightweight for England and his output isn’t much. Bazoumana Touré is left footed but plays on the same side as his preferred foot like Ryan Giggs.

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I really don’t know what lies ahead here. It almost feels like we’re kinda damned regardless. At least to some degree. Do you gamble on a genuine right winger, or do you buy a better left-sided player and move him around?

I’d keep an eye on Aklioche, and perhaps Minteh. Beyond those two, Hughes would be really rolling the dice. There’s a real shortage out there. Demand is outweighing supply.

Time to get creative, guys.