Liverpool are still in the hunt over a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola this summer after being snubbed by Yan Diomande, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Reds have seen Mohamed Salah depart from Anfield on a free transfer and are now keen to bolster their attacking options, with questions marks over the future of Federico Chiesa also.
Diomande had been the top target on Merseyside to replace him, with a €100m (£87m) offer rejected by RB Leipzig, but the Ivorian has now prioritised a move to Paris Saint-Germain instead, and that may have opened the door for the club to sign Barcola instead.
Romano Hearing Something Different on Barcola
Bradley Barcola FranceAction Images
Barcola, who has scored twice at the FIFA World Cup for France so far this summer, is entering the final two years of his contract in Paris, having won back-to-back Champions League titles with the French side.
It was recently reported by David Ornstein that PSG are not looking to sell the France international, and value him at more than the £116m that Man City have agreed to pay for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.
However, speaking on his most recent YouTube video, Romano has admitted that the information does not entirely align with what he has been told about the situation.
"Saying that Barcola is not for sale, is not leaving PSG this summer, is not what I'm told, it's not at all what I'm told," he said.
"First of all, contract talks are on complete standby. And they've been on standby not one month, not two months, but since last summer.
"And last summer, there was Liverpool keen on Barcola, probably in the media it was not that strong, but Liverpool tried to enter into a deal, PSG closed the doors, and at that stage they were expecting to get a new deal done after rejecting a big proposal from Liverpool.
"But the deal is stalling since summer 2025."
Barcola Move Still On
Bradley Barcola FranceAction Images
While PSG are taking a not for sale stance on the winger, it's clear that Barcola's situation is still fluid and a deal is very much on the cards.
The French and European champions have already sold Goncalo Ramos to AC Milan for around £70m, while Lee Kang-In is also expected to be on the move. With Diomande seen as a top target, too, plus an abundance of attacking talent already including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele, Barcola is surely expendable.
Unless a new deal is agreed, which seems unlikely, Barcola is at the peak of his transfer value this summer, and if Liverpool make a strong push to get a deal done, then there is every chance a deal could be completed.
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