According to sports media outlet GOAL, former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has questioned the club's long pursuit of Barcoro, believing the team should have considered other options sooner. He also stated that Liverpool should sign Bowen.
Liverpool desperately need to strengthen their attack this summer, as they have yet to find a replacement for Luis Diaz after his departure to Bayern Munich last year. Victor Hugo Ekittik is out for an extended period with an injury, and Mohamed Salah left the club after negotiating a contract termination at the end of last season, subsequently joining Turkish side Trabzonspor. Liverpool have only managed to sign Spanish winger John Victor Muñoz from Osasuna so far, beating Newcastle United in the race for the deal. The 23-year-old's release clause of £34.6 million ($46.5 million) made the transfer go smoothly.
It has become clear in recent weeks that Barcoa is Liverpool's top target to strengthen their attack. Links to the club were first reported 12 months after Diaz's departure, but the pursuit has intensified significantly this summer, with multiple media outlets reporting that negotiations are ongoing. Barcoa's price tag is not low; Paris Saint-Germain's internal valuation is reportedly as high as £145 million ($195 million).
Reports indicate that Liverpool are prepared to pay around £100 million ($134 million), but this is still significantly less than the French Ligue 1 club's asking price. With the deal likely to drag on until the final stages of the transfer window, Liverpool are facing a tight timeframe, with only two weeks remaining before their Premier League opener against Newcastle.
This is why Owen believes Liverpool could have been more aggressive in pursuing some easier targets early in the summer, such as West Ham's Bowen. In an interview with GOAL, Owen said: "He's certainly excellent, but the price would be very high. I don't think they absolutely had to make that deal. There are many other excellent players. If I were Liverpool, two or three months ago I would have done everything I could to sign Bowen. I can't believe he's in such a hurry to play in the Championship. It looks like that now, no matter what he's done. As a replacement for Salah, I think that might be a good option."
“Barcora is obviously a top player, but the price will be very high. There are many other excellent players in the world. You can certainly see that this deal will attract attention because they really need a talented winger. Such players don’t always appear on the market. If he can be bought, and the process isn’t difficult, but the price is too high, then I can understand Liverpool pushing for the deal.”
West Ham United were once considered likely to let Bowen go this summer after the team was relegated from the Premier League to the Championship. However, the 29-year-old signed a new contract with the London club last month, which will run until 2030, but reportedly includes a release clause that could be activated if West Ham fail to return to the Premier League next season.
