Liverpool's Pursuit of Bradley Barcola Approaches Conclusion
Liverpool’s pursuit of Bradley Barcola is finally moving towards a conclusion, with reports in France suggesting a deal with PSG is edging closer after a summer-long tug of war.
Loïc Tanzi of L’Equipe reports that the France international is “expected to become the biggest transfer of a Ligue 1 player to a foreign club”, underlining the scale of the move being discussed. Barcola, 23, has been one of the headline names on Liverpool’s attacking shortlist, with the club understood to be targeting at least two offensive signings – and potentially a third on top of that.
PSG dig in at €140m
The breakthrough hasn’t come cheaply.
PSG are still standing firm on a €140m (£119.7m) valuation in the latest round of talks, Tanzi reported on X, even if that figure already represents a sizeable climbdown from the peak of negotiations, when Barcola’s price was believed to sit around €170m (£145.3m).
That revised stance pulls the deal closer to the benchmark PSG have been eyeing all summer: the sums involved in Manchester City’s move for Elliot Anderson (£116m) and Chelsea’s deal for Morgan Rogers (£117m). Barcola is being placed in that same financial bracket, and PSG are acting like it.
The winger and his camp, though, are increasingly confident that an agreement will be struck with Andoni Iraola’s side. After months of noise, dead ends and posturing, the saga finally feels like it is entering its final act.
Liverpool race the clock
Time, however, is not on Liverpool’s side.
The club want at least two attacking additions before the window closes, with Barcola one of them, and are pushing hard for a third signing as well. Seven days to land three forwards? It’s a brutal schedule, even for a recruitment team used to late-window drama.
There is at least a sense of progress. Recent reports suggest Liverpool are closing in on Yankuba Minteh after a third bid, which would tick off another key target in the wide areas.
That would leave Richard Hughes and his recruitment staff scrambling for a third attacker – expected to be a centre-forward – to ensure Iraola starts the 2026/27 campaign with a fully loaded front line.
Gaps that won’t go away
Up front, Liverpool might soon look stacked. Elsewhere, the picture is less reassuring.
Central midfield still feels light, despite Iraola’s apparent belief that he can patch Liverpool’s long-standing issues in that area with the players already at his disposal. It’s a bold stance for a coach walking into a Premier League season that will demand power, legs and depth in the middle of the pitch.
Right-back is even more precarious. Jeremie Frimpong stands as the only senior option, leaving Liverpool one injury or suspension away from a full-blown headache on that flank. There is no obvious solution in the squad, no experienced cover waiting in the wings.
So while Barcola’s arrival would be a statement – financially and tactically – it would not disguise the fact that Liverpool are heading into at least the first half of 2026/27 with clear shortages in key areas.
The club look ready to spend big to light up the attack. The question is whether that will be enough to carry a squad that still feels one defender and one midfielder short of the complete picture.
