Liverpool could miss out on Bradley Barcola if Arsenal make a concrete move for the Paris Saint-Germain winger this summer, according to Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele.
Barcola has emerged as Andoni Iraola's top target as the club look to replace Mohamed Salah. The Frenchman's club future has been thrown into doubt after Yan Diomande made a move to the Parc des Princes his priority.
Liverpool cooled interest in Diomande after learning of his preference and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Barcola is the Reds' first-choice alternative. He's enjoying a superb World Cup campaign with France following an impressive season with PSG.
Why Barcola might prefer Arsenal over Liverpool
Bradley Barcola (France)Gonzalo Fuentes via Reuters
While Liverpool have placed Barcola at the top of their wishlist, they may face competition from Arsenal for his signature. The Frenchman has been on Mikel Arteta's radar since the transfer window opened and the Gunners apparently hold an advantage.
Steele gave an update on Barcola's situation and suggested that a move to the Emirates is more appealing. He told Anfield Index: "It’s going to be very, very hard for Liverpool to get Barcola. He’s probably looking at Arteta. He might want to live in the capital city of London. Liverpool aren’t as glamorous an option as they may have been 12 months ago."
Barcola helped PSG win the Champions League for the second consecutive season and put in excellent displays throughout. He appeared 49 times across competitions for Luis Enrique's Parisians, registering 13 goals and seven assists.
That said, the 23-year-old isn't an undisputed starter given the star-studded attacking options at the French capital club. Should the Ligue 1 champions swoop for Diomande, it will likely be Barcola who makes way.
The issue Arsenal and Liverpool both face is that PSG are reportedly demanding £116m. He has two years left on his contract but the Parisians want a huge fee for their French winger.
Liverpool can still win Barcola race
Bradley Barcolavia Reuters
Liverpool fans will undoubtedly feel that the club still has enough pull to entice the likes of Barcola to head to Anfield. While Diomande preferred a move to PSG, it came down to the chance to play under Enrique, whom he feels gives him a better chance of winning the dream Ballon d'Or.
There's no certainty that Arsenal will move for the attacker, as they are also exploring other options, including Juventus' Kenan Yildiz. The North Londoners are reportedly open to selling Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, paving the way for a new winger to arrive.
Iraola and his transfer chiefs need to quickly find out Barcola's stance on a move before getting dragged into another lengthy transfer saga. He'd be a perfect addition to the squad and help deal with Salah's exit.
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