Liverpool's Summer Rebuild: A New Era on the Wings

Liverpool’s summer rebuild is taking clear shape on the wings – and it could come with a double punch.

With Mohamed Salah set to walk away on a free despite having a year left on his deal, Anfield is braced for a seismic shift out wide. He may not be the only one heading for the exit. Federico Chiesa has gone public with his stance: he needs to leave to revive his career unless new head coach Andoni Iraola can guarantee him a bigger role. Cody Gakpo is also in play, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that Liverpool are ready to listen to “important proposals” for the Dutchman.

Talk of Tottenham smashing their transfer record for Gakpo feels ambitious at best. A more grounded scenario has emerged from TEAMtalk: Gakpo being used as a makeweight in negotiations with RB Leipzig for Yan Diomande, Liverpool’s priority target for the flank.

The 19‑year‑old Ivorian has been priced aggressively. The Athletic report that Leipzig now want more than €130m (£112m), a fee that would make Diomande one of the most expensive wide players in history. Liverpool, though, have not been scared off. David Ornstein has stated that the club are in a stronger position than PSG when it comes to agreeing personal terms, and that talks between the clubs have already begun.

The calculation at Anfield is obvious. If Salah goes, if Chiesa forces a move, if Gakpo is sacrificed to unlock Diomande, one marquee winger will not be enough. The rebuild cannot hinge on a single teenager, however gifted.

So attention has swung firmly towards Francisco Trincao.

Trincao moves to the front of the queue

Liverpool’s interest in the Sporting CP winger is not new, but it is intensifying. Portuguese outlet Correio da Manha recently reported that the club have been giving serious thought to a move for the 26‑year‑old, and Iraola’s arrival has not altered that stance. The change in the dugout “has done nothing to cool interest” in Trincao, the report stressed.

It is not hard to see why. After an underwhelming loan spell at Wolves in 2021/22 while still on Barcelona’s books, Trincao returned to Portugal and rebuilt his reputation brick by brick. A loan to Sporting turned permanent in 2023, and his form has surged since.

Last season he delivered 13 goals and 18 assists in all competitions, a total of 31 direct goal contributions that underlines his evolution from promising prospect to fully-fledged attacking threat. His performances earned him a place in the Primeira Liga team of the season for the second year running, confirmation that this resurgence is no brief purple patch.

Now, according to Portuguese newspaper Record, Liverpool are “closest” to landing him. The route is clear: activate his €60m (£52m) release clause and cut through the negotiation noise. Record go further, stating that Liverpool sit “top of the list” of clubs most likely to make a concrete move for the left-footed winger this summer.

The strategy is starting to look deliberate. Diomande as the blockbuster, Trincao as the ready-made, peak-age addition. Youth and potential on one side, proven end product on the other.

For a club preparing to turn the page on the Salah era, it is a bold way to redraw the front line. The question now is not whether Liverpool will change on the wings – that is already happening – but how quickly this new wide pairing can write their own story at Anfield.