Liverpool, Barcelona and a €50m question mark around Roony Bardghji

The European transfer market rarely warms gently. It tends to flare, suddenly, brightly, with stories that feel half inevitable and half speculative. According to reporting from Fichajes, Liverpool’s interest in Roony Bardghji fits neatly into that category, a move framed as both strategic necessity and opportunistic timing.

Liverpool, have “set their sights on Rooney Bardghji, the promising Swedish winger who is dazzling for FC Barcelona this season”, with an offer that could reach €50 million. It is not a whimsical pursuit. It is presented as planning in motion, shaped by the looming absence of Mohamed Salah and the club’s need to imagine life after a figure who has defined an era.

Succession planning after Salah

The article is explicit about motive. “The English club’s board is desperately searching for a reliable successor to Mohamed Salah, who is set to leave for the Saudi Pro League next summer.” Whether the word desperately overstates the calm calculation usually associated with Anfield recruitment is debatable, but the logic is clear.

Bardghji, at 20, is framed as a winger with “directness and goalscoring instinct necessary to succeed in the demanding pace of British football.” There is something familiar in that description. Liverpool have long favoured attackers who simplify the game at speed, who make decisive movements rather than ornamental ones. Bardghji’s ability to “break down the right flank” and combine in tight spaces is positioned as a natural fit rather than a leap of faith.

Barcelona’s finances and a crowded right wing

From Barcelona’s perspective, the story carries a different weight. Bardghji’s quality is not questioned, but his pathway is. “The meteoric rise of Lamine Yamal, the crown jewel of Barcelona, leaves little room for the Swede to be the undisputed star.” Talent, here, becomes a dilemma rather than a guarantee.

Financial reality sharpens that dilemma. Fichajes note that Barcelona paid “just two million euros” for Bardghji. A €50 million sale would be transformative, “a figure difficult for the Catalan club’s coffers to ignore” at a time when flexibility matters as much as ambition.

Super Cup proof and Liverpool’s pitch

Liverpool’s interest reportedly intensified after the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Club, where Bardghji delivered “a goal and two assists in a historic rout.” That performance is framed as confirmation, proof that he can perform when the stakes are high and the spotlight unforgiving.

For the player, Liverpool are offering clarity. A project where he “could be the cornerstone of their attacking rebuild after the Salah era”, free from existing hierarchies, with Champions League minutes and global exposure. It is a compelling argument, built as much on opportunity as on money.

What happens next, as Fichajes suggest, may define “the strength of the Reds’ attack for the 2026/2027 season.” It may also say a great deal about how modern giants balance patience, profit and potential.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

From a Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this report lands somewhere between excitement and caution. Bardghji clearly ticks several boxes, age profile, technical bravery, comfort on the right, and a ceiling that feels high rather than hypothetical. A €50 million fee, however, invites scrutiny. This is not a developmental punt, it is a statement investment.

There is also the unavoidable shadow of Salah. Replacing his output directly is unrealistic. What Liverpool need is evolution rather than imitation. Bardghji does not look like a carbon copy, and that may be the point. His game appears more about bursts, combinations and timing, rather than relentless end product at elite volume. That could reshape how Liverpool attack under Arne Slot.

Supporters will also note Barcelona’s willingness to sell. If a player is genuinely viewed as future-defining, clubs tend to hold their nerve. The presence of Lamine Yamal explains much of this, but it still raises questions about readiness versus potential.

Ultimately, this feels like a transfer that would make sense in context. Liverpool moving early, Barcelona balancing books, a young winger choosing opportunity over waiting. If the price holds near €50 million, fans will expect immediate contribution, not gentle integration. That is the reality at Anfield. Talent is admired, but impact is demanded.