Carragher says Liverpool do not need Barcola as much as they need a Salah replacement

Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool do not need to buy Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain - urging his former club to focus on securing a replacement for Mohamed Salah on the right wing.

Sky Sports News has reported that Liverpool are preparing an opening offer for the France international forward - who is also wanted by Arsenal and, according to some sources, is valued at £128.5m by the European champions.

However with Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and new signing Victor Munoz as Liverpool's left wing options, Carragher believes Liverpool are stockpiling in one position - and argues there is no one to replace the departed Salah on the opposite flank.

"He's a great player, there's no doubt about that - I'd love to get Barcola at Liverpool," Carragher told Sky Sports News. "But he's a left winger for me.

"Liverpool's big thing that stands out like a sore thumb right now is replacing Mo Salah, a right winger. And I don't think Liverpool have got anybody really in the squad who looks fully comfortable playing right wing.

"They probably have at least four players in the squad before Barcola joins, if he joins, who could play on the left-hand side comfortably.

"Now, I'm not saying any of those players are better than Barcola. But in terms of the balance of the squad, it's not the position Liverpool need right now. They need a right winger.

"But if you're saying to me, do I want Barcola to come and Liverpool are going to sign a right winger as well? I'll be absolutely delighted because players would have to move on. Of course they would.

"But right now, I felt this summer would be about replacing Mo Salah. Barcola doesn't replace Mo Salah."

Could Barcola block the path of Ngumoha?

It was also put to Carragher that signing Barcola, who turns 24 in September, could block the path of exciting young winger Ngumoha.

The teenage winger turns 18 in August and had a breakout season last term, scoring twice in 19 Premier League appearances.

Asked if Ngumoha's development could be stalled by Liverpool signing Barcola, Carragher replied: "That is a thought.

"Rio's a young lad, he's really good. I think he's going to kick on from where he did last season. But that is a point: you're buying a really young player for a lot of money in Barcola, who's better than Rio Ngumoha right now.

"But you think eventually in the next year or two, Rio would want to be playing week in, week out for Liverpool. And that's up to him to prove it.

"So when you pay that type of money for a young player in his position, it does leave you scratching your head a little bit.

"There's talk that Rio Ngumoha could play on the right and get some minutes there. As a young player, that's fine, playing on both sides. But I think his position is the left-right now.

"And the reason I'm a little bit confused with Barcola is because last season, when Liverpool sold Luis Diaz, the noise was coming from the club was: we're not buying a left winger because we've got Gakpo - and we also don't want to block the path of Rio Ngumoha.

"And you think, well, OK. I understand that to a certain extent.

"But Rio is now 12 months on. He's proven that he looks a tasty player. And you think Liverpool might have a player there for the future. Yet 12 months on, Liverpool are going to break the bank for someone in that position. When 12 months earlier they said they didn't want to block Rio's path.

"So there are a few things with Liverpool transfer-wise at the moment where I'm still scratching my head a little bit.

"But if they go out and get a player for the right wing, bring Barcola in and then sell a couple of the wide players that they have on the books right now, I think that'd be fantastic."