Liverpool Pursue Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye

Liverpool have pushed their chips to the middle of the table for Bradley Barcola, raising their offer in a bid to prise the winger out of Paris Saint‑Germain while simultaneously moving for his team‑mate Ibrahim Mbaye.

After missing out on Yan Diomande – who chose PSG before Real Madrid dramatically hijacked that deal – Liverpool have zeroed in on Barcola as their primary wide target. The 23-year-old is understood to be keen on Anfield, attracted by the prospect of greater game time under new head coach Andoni Iraola.

PSG, sensing his departure, have already started plotting the next phase of their attack. Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche and Ajax talent Mika Godts have been identified as potential successors as the French champions brace for bids.

The negotiating table is now busy. Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano revealed on Monday that “official club-to-club talks” are under way between Liverpool and PSG for Barcola. Those talks began with a sizeable gap in valuation. Liverpool opened at around €100m (£86m), a figure that would already place Barcola among the most expensive signings in the club’s history.

PSG’s stance was bolder. They placed a price tag of €150m (£128.5m) on the winger, a statement fee designed to test Liverpool’s resolve and reflect Barcola’s importance to their squad and future planning.

Liverpool have since moved. According to BBC Sport, the Premier League side have now indicated a willingness to go to £100m (€117m) to get the deal done. It is a clear escalation and a sign that the Merseyside club view Barcola as central to their attacking rebuild.

The gap has narrowed. The deal is not there yet.

Should the clubs find common ground on the fee, the rest of the process is expected to be straightforward. Personal terms are not thought to be a stumbling block, with Barcola open to the project and the opportunity Iraola is offering.

While the Barcola talks dominate the headlines, Liverpool are working another line into the same dressing room.

Reliable French reporter Fabrice Hawkins has reported that Liverpool have made contact with PSG over Ibrahim Mbaye, the 18-year-old winger who caught the eye with Senegal at the World Cup. His emergence on the international stage has alerted several European clubs, but Liverpool have moved to test PSG’s position.

The profile of the two targets is no coincidence. Barcola prefers to attack from the left, drifting inside to threaten goal, while Mbaye is more at home on the right, stretching play and attacking full-backs. Together, they would strengthen both flanks and inject fresh pace and unpredictability into Liverpool’s forward line.

On Tuesday night, Romano provided a further update on Mbaye’s situation. Liverpool, he reported, have already spoken with Mbaye’s new agent, Jorge Mendes. The teenager has offers from Bundesliga clubs but is currently giving priority to the Liverpool project.

There has already been late drama in his future. A move to RB Leipzig was close, only to collapse after Diomande’s proposed switch to PSG fell through, shifting the market and opening the door for Liverpool.

Talks over Mbaye are expected to continue, running parallel to the high-stakes Barcola negotiations. If Liverpool manage to land both, Iraola’s first season at Anfield will begin with a very different set of options out wide – and a clear message about how aggressively the club intends to shape its next attacking era.