Liverpool could sign Mohammed Kudus or Johan Bakayoko after Anthony Gordon agreed a move to Barcelona.
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The two forwards have been previously linked with Merseyside switches in prior transfer windows.
With the Reds in clear need of a minimum of two wingers (and, ideally, an additional versatile forward), perhaps interest could be reignited.
ChatGPT recommends Mohammed Kudus & Johan Bakayoko
Out of morbid curiosity, I wanted to know which players an LLM would recommend as an alternative to Gordon this summer.
Truth be told, most of the suggestions were pretty disappointing:
- Yan Diomande (he’s a first-choice target for the wings, not the Anthony Gordon-type of player we want as an additional utility option)
- Bradley Barcola (see above)
- Johan Bakayoko (previously linked but doesn’t have a significant history playing centrally in a front three)
- Bryan Mbeumo (errrrr… forgetting something, Chat?)
- Mohammed Kudus (go on…)
- Nico Williams (same as Bakayoko and on a stupidly long contract)
- Takefusa Kubo (someexperience playing centrally… emphasis onsome)
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It’s fair to say we’ve not been left with the most ideal profiles on the market, but I am a fan of Kudus, and I’ve always been curious about Bakayoko’s potential.
So, let’s take a closer look at what either option could offer Arne Slot.
Viable alternatives to Anthony Gordon?
It’s perhaps a little harsh to label Johan Bakayoko a “flop” after one difficult campaign in the Bundesliga.
But it’s rather telling that Yan Diomande, who has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool this summer, has been favoured on the right wing.
| Yan Diomande stats | Johan Bakayoko stats |
| 36 games (2,724 minutes) | 22 games (892 minutes) |
| 13 goals | 3 goals |
| 10 assists | 0 assists |
| 118.43 minutes per goal contribution | 297.33 minutes per goal contribution |
| 0.26 non-penalty xG (per 90) | 0.24 non-penalty xG (per 90) |
| 1.93 shots per 90 | 2.79 shots per 90 |
| 7.09 touches in opposition box | 4.89 touches in opposition box per 90 |
* Yan Diomande and Johan Bakayoko’s stats in the Bundesliga in the 2025/26 season (Transfermarkt/Fotmob)
To be completely fair to Bakayoko, he’s had some injury struggles this term to contend with. And while there are some encouraging underlying stats to suggest the Belgian could be effective with more regular minutes in the right setup, there’s more than enough evidence to suggest Liverpool would be well-placed favouring his Ivorian teammate as a first-choice wing target.
And with only two appearances centrally, I’m just not convinced that the 23-year-old is the right alternative to Barcelona-bound Anthony Gordon.
So how about Kudus?
It would be somewhat unfair to judge Kudus entirely off the back of his season spent with a rather spineless, clueless Tottenham side in 2025/26.
Despite that crutch, however, the 25-year-old winger has managed to post some impressive dribbling numbers – even as his numbers relating to output have nosedived.
| Mohammed Kudus stats |
| 26 games (1,921 minutes) |
| 3 goals |
| 6 assists |
| 213.44 minutes |
| 0.11 non-penalty xG (per 90) |
| 1.51 shots per 90 |
| 3.32 touches in opposition box |
* Mohammed Kudus’s stats in the Premier League (2025/26) (Fotmob/Transfermarkt)
The big thing with Kudus, of course, is the fact he’s made 51 senior appearances in a central role.
That, surely, has to offer some attraction to the notion of signing the player this summer. Whether Spurs would be prepared to make a deal, of course, having signed the 25-year-old last summer, remains to be seen.
But I’d be far more inclined to push for Mohammed Kudus over Johan Bakayoko, fee depending.
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