Liverpool has reportedly been told that PSG will not sell Bradley Barcola this summer, dealing the Reds a blow in their pursuit of the French winger as they seek a replacement for Mohamed Salah
07:42, 13 Jul 2026Updated 07:46, 13 Jul 2026
Bradley Barcola in action at the World Cup
Bradley Barcola in action at the World Cup(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista, Getty Images)
PSG has informed Liverpool that Bradley Barcola is unavailable for transfer this summer, despite having fielded interest from Arsenal. Liverpool are looking to bolster their attacking options and face a significant challenge in replacing the departing Mohamed Salah.
While RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande had been a long-standing target for the Merseyside club, it now appears the Ivorian winger is poised to join the Parc des Princes on a five-year deal, provided PSG meet a valuation believed to exceed $114M (£85m).
Consequently, Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for Barcola, who is currently impressing at the World Cup as part of Didier Deschamps' French national squad. The Anfield hierarchy also faced fierce competition in their pursuit of the 23-year-old, with Arsenal having been given reason to believe a deal was achievable.
According to L'Equipe, Les Parisiens had reportedly placed a price tag of approximately $172M (£128m) on Barcola, underscoring the winger's potential and his significance to their achievements in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League. However, the Independent now reports that PSG have had a change of heart regarding Barcola's departure.
This development will force Liverpool back to the drawing board as they weigh up attacking options for life after Salah. The prospect of Barcola's potential arrival had drawn mixed reactions from a number of former Premier League players, with Emile Heskey speaking particularly highly of the Frenchman, reports the Liverpool Echo.
He told BOYLE Sports: "Signing Bradley Barcola would be an amazing coup for Liverpool because he provides the pace and directness we've been missing on the left wing. We've been spoiled with Sadio Mané and Luis Díaz, and now we need Barcola to get the fans off their seats again.
"Liverpool looked to have missed out on Yan Diomande to PSG, but that could open the door to Barcola leaving. It would be a statement signing for Andoni Iraola that's for sure."
Louis Saha echoed Heskey's sentiments, telling Live Football Tickets: "Bradley Barcola is a terrific player. He has already won two Champions Leagues, and he could even win the World Cup over the next few weeks, his achievements for such a young player are staggering.
"He has become a much-improved player over the past few seasons, he gets better and better every year, and he can go right to the very top of football. What Barcola needs is to move somewhere where he is going to be first choice in his position week in, week out.
Bradley Barcola and a football
PSG say Bradley Barcola is not for sale(Image: AP)
"His confidence will improve ten-fold once that happens, and then he will be a way more dangerous player. He has enormous potential, and I'm not surprised Liverpool are looking at him.
"They need a replacement for Mohamed Salah, and Cody Gakpo has looked uncomfortable at times for them out wide. Barcola could easily fill either of those positions."
However, Danny Murphy wasn't entirely convinced that Barcola would be the right fit, given he primarily operates as a left-winger, whereas an urgent replacement is required on the right flank following Salah's departure. He told BetWright: "The only thing with Barcola, of course, is he's more comfortable on the left than the right.
"He can play on the right on occasion, but really I think someone more used to and suited playing on the right would probably be a better option. It's certainly interesting and fascinating to see what they're going to do because the squad needs a bit of reshaping.
"There are all these questions around Liverpool at the moment, which is, when you think about winning the league and then what we spent, it's an incredible conundrum that they're in really and shouldn't be in."
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While Arsenal are now focused on landing Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, it remains uncertain who the Reds will pursue next. Reports indicate that Liverpool are keeping a close eye on Real Ovideo's Haissem Hassan, following an outstanding World Cup performance with Egypt.