TBR View: Edwards needs to make Harvey Barnes a Liverpool player this summer

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A Liverpool capitulation is as reliable as clockwork just lately and in self-destructing against Leicester, Michael Edwards will have been heavily circling one name in his scouting notepad.

The transfer guru will have been desperately impressed with Harvey Barnes. Just a few days after Jurgen Klopp called him ‘unbelievable’, the Foxes forward put the champions to the sword.

He put the seal on a brilliant win for Leicester after James Maddison and Jamie Vardy had cancelled out Mohamed Salah’s opening goal for Liverpool.

There hasn’t really been any concrete interest reported in Barnes from the Anfield-based giants; but Edwards needs to move heaven and earth to sign him during the summer.

Klopp is in real danger of seeing his side miss out on the top four this season, which is remarkable considering how devastating they were in full flight on their way to last season’s title.

The injuries to key players haven’t helped but it’s fair to say that in the majority of games in 2021 their performances have lost some of their usual gloss.

Quite simply, Liverpool haven’t been able to replicate their energetic style often enough. It’s also not helped that Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have been required to play at centre-back throughout the campaign.

Quality

The Reds need more quality to come off the bench and compete for places in the squad, with the players in direct competition for the starting eleven not proving good enough this season.

When Sadio Mane or Mo Salah has missed out the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi just haven’t looked up to scratch.

Barnes is a player with a desperately bright future ahead of him and eventually, the player will outgrow Leicester City.

At 23, the versatile forward fits the profile of a Liverpool player nicely and his energy levels would make him a stunning addition to Klopp’s ranks.

This season he has found the net on 12 occasions, registering three assists along the way too, with his stock continuing to rise.

Barnes earns £60,000-a-week at the King Power Stadium and the Foxes will likely command a decent fee for him.

If Saturday was an audition ahead of a summer switch to Anfield, he passed it with flying colours.

Over to you, Michael Edwards…