Liverpool can register two PSG stars with one non-homegrown slot thanks to loophole rule

Liverpool are eyeing an audacious double transfer raid on Paris Saint-Germain for wingers Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye.

The Reds are in need of reinforcements in attack due to Trabzonspor-bound Mohamed Salah’s exit and Hugo Ekitike’s serious injury issues.

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Ekitike remains absent for the foreseeable future after rupturing his Achilles during a Champions League match against PSG in April.

Liverpool have now turned to the Frenchman’s former side to strengthen their forward options under Andoni Iraola.

The Spaniard has already overseen the signing of his compatriot Victor Munoz, while he continues to eye a bumper move for Barcola.

talkSPORT understands Liverpool are also pushing to sign Mbaye, with the PSG teammates scoring their first World Cup goals in the same game when France beat Senegal 3-1 in June.

Reds fans will be acutely aware that Iraola only has one more available senior non-homegrown slot, with the Premier League allowing a maximum of 17 in each club’s 25-man squad.

How Liverpool can register both Barcola and Mbaye without sales

While Barcola would take up the 17th and final senior non-homegrown slot if he arrives at Anfield, his 18-year-old teammate would be able to be registered immediately as well.

An Under-21 loophole exists in the Premier League’s rules that means Liverpool can bypass the 17-player non-homegrown cap.

Players who were born on or after January 1, 2005 will count as U21 for the 2026/27 season, which includes new signing Jeremy Jacquet.

Jacquet became Liverpool’s second-most expensive defender ever after a £60million package was agreed with Rennes.

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Liverpool’s new No.5 is expected to play a huge part for the club this season after Ibrahima Konate left on a free transfer to Real Madrid.

However, the 21-year-old will join Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni on the unrestricted Under-21 list, as would Mbaye if he arrives at Anfield.

In fact, the latter wouldn’t even have to be registered as a senior player in Liverpool’s Premier League squad until 2029/30.

By which time, Mbaye, assuming he does join Iraola’s side this summer, would even count as a homegrown player.

The Premier League’s regulations stipulate that a HG player counts as anyone who registered to any club affiliated to either the English or Welsh FA for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday, or the end of the season during which he turns 21 – regardless of nationality.

This loophole is why Jeremie Frimpong, who was born in Amsterdam and is a Netherlands international, counts as homegrown thanks to the years he spent in Manchester City’s academy.

Liverpool’s non-homegrown players

The 16-man list includes both of Iraola’s first two goalkeepers in Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Captain Virgil van Dijk leads a pool of four defenders: Kostas Tsimikas, Milos Kerkez, and Calvin Ramsay.

Wataru Endo, Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, and Ryan Gravenberch are the non-homegrown midfield options.

New signing Munoz has taken up one of the slots in attack, alongside Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa, and Ekitike.