Liverpool have been dealt a double blow in their pursuit of a new winger in the summer transfer window, but they do have alternative targets.

It’s clear to see that Liverpool’s major priority in the summer is to bring in a new winger or two.

The Reds already secured the signature of Victor Munoz, but it appears that they are pushing to sign another over the coming weeks and months.

Liverpool have been forced to replace Mohamed Salah after it was confirmed that he would be leaving the club this summer on a free transfer.

After a disappointing 25/26 season, the Merseyside club are in the market for multiple reinforcements.

Liverpool Eye Barcola and Diomande Alternatives

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It was recently confirmed that, despite interest from Liverpool, RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande is now prioritising a move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool also suffered another blow in their pursuit of a new winger after David Ornstein confirmed that PSG have no interest in allowing Bradley Barcola to leave the club, even if they sign Diomande.

As a result, Liverpool have been forced to explore alternative options, with reports suggesting that Koln forward Said El Mala is a target.

Diomande appeared to be the initial target for Liverpool, with the Reds even submitting a €100 million bid to secure his signature.

El Mala is another young, talented winger who could be of interest to Liverpool, and it could be a smart signing for the Reds.

El Mala Could Explode Under Iraola

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New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has certainly shown that he is capable of getting the best out of wingers during his time with Bournemouth.

Antoine Semenyo flourished under him with the Cherries before earning a big-money move to Manchester City.

Iraola also nurtured Rayan in the second half of last season, and he’s quickly become one of the most sought-after wingers in world football.

The new Liverpool manager is known for giving young talents a chance to impress, so he won’t be fazed by the fact that El Mala, described as being ‘one in a million’, is only 19 years old.

Brazil is arguably the most football-obsessed nation on earth. While financial, infrastructural, and environmental factors prevent the widespread participation of 11-a-side amateur football up and down South America’s most populated nation, Brazilian natives are forced to find creative ways to enjoy the beautiful game.

The Selecao have won the FIFA World Cup on five occasions – more than any other nation – and has developed a plethora of world-class talents who’ve dominated the South American, European, and the international game across history, including the legendary Pele, the step-over king Ronaldo Nazario, and the former Ballon d’Or winner Kaka.

Despite not winning a World Cup since 2002, there’s no shortage of current superstars in the Brazilian national team – including a few Ballon d’Or front-runners. Here are the 15 best Selecao stars in the world right now.

Ranking factors

• Current form
• Career reputation
• Goals, assists, or defensive contributions
• Technical brilliance

15

Ederson

Fenerbahce

Goalkeepers haven’t always been allowed to play with the creativity and freedom synonymous with Brazilian outfield players. But as more emphasis has been placed on the goalkeeper’s involvement in build-up play in recent years, it’s no surprise to see a Brazilian among the very best at distributing the ball through opposition forward lines into midfield.

Ederson’s composure, passing, and, let’s not forget, elite shot-stopping skills were pivotal in the six Premier League titles Manchester City won during the the Brazilian’s time playing for Pep Guardiola‘s side, but he has often been overshadowed by his Liverpool counterpart, Alisson Becker. Despite that, there is no doubting the former Benfica’s deserved place on this list.

14

Rayan

Bournemouth

After starring for Vasco da Gama, Rayan made the switch to England, where he made waves at the unlikely destination of Bournemouth. A key figure for the Selecao’s youth teams, with whom he won an U-20 South American Championship, the rangy winger made a step up to the senior team in 2026 and has seen his value skyrocket as a result.

Rayan was thrust into the spotlight at the 2026 World Cup when he had to deputise for the injured Raphinha, but he accepted the responsibility with minimal fuss and demonstrated his value as an incisive winger.

13

Igor Thiago

Bournemouth

Something of a late bloomer, Igor Thiago’s sensational form in the Premier League propelled him straight into Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup. The towering Brentford striker scored 25 goals in all competitions in 2025/26, including 22 in what is widely considered the best league in the world.

While he is not necessarily a starter for Brazil and perhaps something of a system player, Thiago has shown his capacity for scoring with goals for the national team in friendly matches against Croatia and Panama.

12

Neymar Jr

Santos

Neymar has not necessarily one of the top-performing Brazilians during the last few seasons. The era-defining winger disappointed some of his supporters by opting for an early move away from elite-level football, to join Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in what turned out to be a disastrous move. But there are few, or perhaps only Argentina’s Lionel Messi, active footballers who are capable of manipulating defenders, controlling the ball, and producing moments of wonder in the way that Neymar is capable of.

Injuries have, unfortunately, hampered the twilight period of his illustrious career but now back at boyhood club Santos, the winger appears to be finding his groove again, which is evidenced by the fact that he has been back in the Brazil fold, even being named in the 2026 World Cup squad.

11

Ederson S.

Atalanta

While he has had to be patient due to the late-career resurgence of Casemiro, Ederson S. is nicely primed to step into the defensive midfield role for Brazil, having honed his craft over a number of seasons with Atalanta.

Dubbed by various media outlets as ‘the next Rodri’, Ederson is an all-action midfielder with impressive tactical awareness and such athleticism combined with intelligence is the sort of thing that winning teams are built on. His career for Brazil will undoubtedly blossom in the coming years if his impressive form at club level is any indicator.

10

Casemiro

Free Agent

Matthew Childs via Reuters

Few world-class players have had to put up with the level of criticism and scrutiny that Casemiro has, but he continues to make his detractors eat their words. In 2024, former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher infamously told the Brazilian midfielder to “leave the football before the football leaves you”, effectively telling the then-32-year-old to retire.

However, since then, Casemiro was key to Manchester United’s third-place Premier League finish in 2025/26 and remains a crucial cog in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil team, scoring an important goal and earning a player-of-the-match award in the 2026 World Cup knockout stage game against Japan. His career will likely wind down quickly from here on, but at this moment, he remains one of his country’s best players.

9

Endrick

Real Madrid

Much is still being learned about the most exciting teenage talent coming out of Brazil, Endrick. The striker’s posture, physical appearance, and eye for goal have drawn comparisons to none other than the country’s legendary goalscorer, Pele. Those are some big shoes to fill. So far, Endrick, who has been tipped for greatness since his early teens, has made – despite a lack of minutes – a seamless transition into men’s professional football.

Now 19, the talented teen showed flashes of quality in his debut season at Real Madrid, but went on loan in Ligue 1 to Lyon in search of regular minutes. While in France, Endrick’s form earned him a call-up to the Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup and, though he is not a nailed-on starter, he has made an impact. The striker recorded an impressive three goals in his opening five Brazil appearances – but has failed to kick on since. Whether or not Endrick is a player who will go down in the legend books remains to be seen, but Brazilian natives have incredibly high expectations of the 19-year-old.

8

Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal

It can be easy to forget that Gabriel Martinelli, who already has over 60 Arsenal goals to his name in all competitions, is still only 25. The Brazil and Gunners forwards’ electric pace, strength, and ruthless ability inside the opposition’s penalty box has made him one of the most feared attackers in the Premier League.

Martinelli, whose direct approach feels slightly reminiscent of a young Cristiano Ronaldo, feels destined for a long career at the top level. The young forward hasn’t had a sustained run of games for the national team yet, but did earn a call-up to the national team for Copa America. Injuries once again somewhat disrupted recent seasons, but he will be eager to build on a title-winning campaign in 2026/27.

7

Matheus Cunha

Manchester United

Having shone for Atletico Madrid and Wolves, Matheus Cunha took his game up another level when he joined Manchester United ahead of the 2025/26 season, chipping in with his fair share of goals for the Red Devils are they mounted a credible campaign. His form for United coincided with an increased responsibility for Brazil and his performances at the 2026 World Cup have helped to cement his place in the team.

Cunha’s personality – as expressed through his penchant for skill and elaborate ‘Samba Surfer’ goal celebration – is exactly what you’d expect from a top class Brazilian player and it has been encouraged by both Michael Carrick and Carlo Ancelotti.

6

Bruno Guimaraes

Newcastle United

Bruno Guimaraes has been among the top performing midfielders in the Premier League over the last couple of seasons. Newcastle United’s man has great positional awareness, is strong defensively and accomplished on the ball, which is why Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was so desperate to add the Brazilian to his midfield.

He remained on Tyneside, however, and has continued to prove why a litany of Premier League clubs are sniffing around his signature amid his employers’ PSR concerns. Particularly across the year of 2024, Guimaraes has established himself as Brazil’s predominant holding midfielder and he has remained there ever since, providing athleticism to complement Casemiro’s experience.

Virgil van Dijk has been criticised for his actions during the Netherlands‘ defeat to Morocco at the 2026 World Cup.

The Liverpool star was named in the Netherlands’ starting lineup for their last 32 against the AFCON champions at Monterrey Stadium.

Ronald Koeman’s side took the lead in the 72th minute through Cody Gakpo, but were pegged back in stoppage-time when Issa Diop headed home.

The match was decided on spot-kicks, and it was Morocco who eventually triumphed as the Netherlands crashed out of the competition.

Virgil van Dijk Criticised For Lack of Leadership

Felipe Mondino/Sipa USA via Reuters

Van Dijk’s leadership during the match has come into question, with many thinking that he should have taken a penalty in the shootout.

Six Netherlands players took penalties, with Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville the three players to fail to score from the spot.

The 34-year-old has taken penalties in high pressure situations before, famously scoring a penalty in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea in 2022. He also took a penalty against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, which was saved by Emiliano Martinez.

ESPN pundit Craig Burley thinks he should have stepped up and took responsibility. He said: “I think with the inexperienced players, and they did have quite a few inexperienced players off the bench, Holland, that is, in the game at the end.

He added: “If I’m Ronald Koeman, I think I want my skipper to step up and take the heat and take the pressure on my shoulders and take a penalty kick because centre-halves can take penalties.”

Some football fans have been even more brutal on social media. One fan said: “Embarrassing that captain Van Dijk isn’t stepping up for a penalty. So, so cowardly. Just watched his nation get knocked out.”

A second commented: “Van Dijk, a mentality monster and captain, should’ve stepped up in the penalty shootout,” while a third wrote: “The captain. The leader. Van Dijk watched inexperienced players step up while he hid from taking a penalty for his country. That’s a stain on his legacy that isn’t going away.”

Virgil van Djk Speaks Out After Netherlands’ Exit

REUTERS/Eloisa Sanchez

Van Dijk defended his side’s defensive game plan after the match. He told NOS, per vi.nl: “[It’s] Very difficult to analyze it now.

“An intense match. I think we were well organised defensively. They basically couldn’t find the open man between the lines. So the game plan worked, of course. I think we scored a good goal. Ultimately, in injury time, you get pushed back. Then it goes to penalties; unfortunately, we get knocked out.

“If you look at almost all the big teams at the World Cup: they also just drop back and they also wait for the right moment to apply pressure. We trained hard on this for two days; at times it went well. Of course, there are always things that can be improved, but anyway: that doesn’t help us right now.”