Today's Liverpool FC transfer round-up column brings big news on Bradley Barcola... even if it isn't quite as big an update as one report falsely claimed to be
Liverpool have not yet agreed a fee with PSG for the transfer of Bradley Barcola, despite earlier unfounded claims today
Liverpool have not yet agreed a fee with PSG for the transfer of Bradley Barcola, despite earlier unfounded claims today(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
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As you were, Reds.
If you were waiting with baited breath for the Liverpool FC transfer round-up column to bring you confirmation that Liverpool have agreed a deal for the flying winger we've all been waiting for, I hate to be the bearer of bad news.
But claims circulated earlier today that Liverpool had reached an agreement in principle with PSG to the tune of €128m (£109.7m) for the transfer of Bradley Barcola are wide of the mark, and serve as a timely reminder to only rely on trusted sources for Reds-related news.
The website that broke the claim, which I won't validate by naming, is a well-known, tried-and-tested purveyor of absolute bunk, and has only managed to escape the ignominy of making regular appearances in the nonsense section of this column by virtue of being run by a Liverpool fan.
I suppose that means sentimentality got the better of me. Let's just say the website in question won't get off quite so easily next time.
Fear not, though - a reliable update has in fact emerged about Barcola today and we will definitely be taking a closer look at that. Stay with us for that and much more as we round up all the latest gossip and rumours in the Liverpool transfer news column....
Liverpool "expected to submit" €115m Barcola bid
A bid for Barcola is imminent but reliable L'Equipe journalist Loic Tanzi warned a deal is "still a long way off"
A bid for Barcola is imminent but reliable L'Equipe journalist Loic Tanzi warned a deal is "still a long way off"(Image: Getty Images)
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Buckle up, because it's about to get serious. Loic Tanzi, the L'Equipe reporter who has provided consistent updates throughout the Reds' pursuit of Bradley Barcola, revealed today that Liverpool have "decided to move to a more concrete phase" of their pursuit by finally submitting an official bid for the 23-year-old Frenchman.
Tanzi wrote that "the Reds have decided to speed things up" and are now "expected to submit an offer estimated at €115m" for Barcola, who has rejected the offer of a new contract at PSG.
According to Tanzi, the Parisian side's leadership (including manager Luis Enrique) "have repeatedly stated since the beginning of their joint project that no player will be kept against his will."
In theory, if Liverpool are submitting an actual bid, that should send a signal to PSG that the Reds' interest is fully genuine and not merely a smokescreen for another target - not that there seem to be a great deal of other targets available in any case.
Indeed, Tanzi went on to claim that for Liverpool, "there are no concrete negotiations with another player to fill Barcola's position", though Reds management have "asked their scouting department to remain active in this area so they can react quickly should the search fail."
There is also the looming spectre of Arsenal, who will now be on the lookout for alternatives after missing out on Vinicius Junior, who signed a new six-year contract at Real Madrid yesterday (Sky Sports).
Anyone hoping for a swift resolution to this saga is likely to be disappointed. Tanzi maintained that a deal is "still a long way off" and, as we inch closer to deadline day (25 days to go - eek!), this one could get very, very tense.
But it will certainly be interesting to see how both PSG and Liverpool react to this development.
"For Liverpool, keep an eye on centre-backs" - Romano
Ezri Konsa has been linked with Liverpool in recent days as the Reds finally look like they could go into the market for another central defender
Ezri Konsa has been linked with Liverpool in recent days as the Reds finally look like they could go into the market for another central defender(Image: The FA via Getty Images)
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For me, as I'm sure it will for many of you, this one came as an extremely welcome update. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claimed on his YouTube channel today that Liverpool are not down and out when it comes to signing another defender this summer.
Romano said: "For Liverpool, there are many reports on right-back. If I know something on right-back, I will let you know. At the moment, I'm not aware of movements for Djed Spence, despite reports. If something happens, I will let you know but, at the moment, I'm not aware of that."
Indeed, the reliable duo of Ben Jacobs and Alex Crook confirmed as much on X yesterday, claiming that while Spence had been offered to several clubs, Liverpool are "not currently working" on a deal to sign the Spurs full-back.
Romano wasn't done yet, though. "For Liverpool," he said, "keep an eye also on centre-backs, because what I'm hearing is that Liverpool could consider a move for a centre-back in this summer transfer window in these final weeks, because Liverpool could add one more player in that position.
"It's not something that we have to exclude. So, more than right-back in this moment, in this specific moment, I would keep an eye also on the centre-back position."
As things currently stand, Virgil van Dijk is Liverpool's only fit and available senior centre-back, with a little over a fortnight to go until Premier League action gets underway and the Reds travel to St James' Park to face Newcastle.
With that in mind, a new centre-back to top up the numbers and take the pressure off the young, unproven pair of Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni would be welcome - and by conventional wisdom, completely necessary.
Who Liverpool target, if indeed anyone, is obviously completely up in the air. But a pair of rumours that have gained traction over the last few days could provide some hints.
Last week, TEAMtalk - of all sources - claimed that Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa was "a genuine option" for Liverpool. At first glance, maybe nothing to see here.
But then, on Wednesday (Aug 5), The Guardian - a much less trigger-happy outlet for transfer rumours - claimed that Arsenal, widely perceived to be the frontrunners for Konsa, "could face competition from Liverpool" for the 28-year-old England international, in the same report in which the newspaper confirmed the Gunners had agreed a fee for Bruno Guimaraes.
On Thursday (Aug 6), Romano himself (appearing on GiveMeSport's Market Madness podcast) indicated that Liverpool hold at least some interest in Konsa, though claimed he was told "there is more interest from Arsenal than Liverpool at this stage."
It's not loads to go off, but it's more than we've heard on the defenders front for quite some time. And as if that wasn't enough, another name has been thrown into the mix overnight by a generally reliable French reporter.
Ousmane Diomande, the big Sporting CP centre-back who seems like he gets linked with Liverpool every few weeks, looked set for a move to Nottingham Forest in a very big show of strength from the even bigger Evangelos Marinakis.
But that move broke down dramatically after a "major disagreement" yesterday, according to Maisfutebol. And Sebastien Vidal has now claimed on X today (Aug 7) that Liverpool "could take advantage" as Diomande "remains available and has featured on the Red's radar for a long time, as they look to strengthen their central defence."
There has practically been radio silence when it comes to any Liverpool interest in any central defenders for virtually the entire summer, but in the space of 24 hours the Reds have not only been claimed to be considering signing a central defender but also linked with two by serious sources in quick-fire succession.
Is it just me or does it feel like there's something in this?
Other reports today
Ibrahim Mbaye is being lined up for a move by Liverpool, but they are not alone in their interest
Ibrahim Mbaye is being lined up for a move by Liverpool, but they are not alone in their interest(Image: Getty Images)
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Liverpool could face competition in their pursuit of Ibrahim Mbaye, according to Loic Tanzi at L'Equipe. And when Loic Tanzi speaks about PSG players, you should sit up and listen. According to Tanzi, a host of German and English clubs are interested and "if PSG don't demand an excessive transfer fee, he might opt for a mid-table club to maximise his playing time before eventually returning to a top team." Nevertheless, Tanzi reports that Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund "seem to stand out", and Romano insisted Liverpool are still "leading the race" when speaking to GiveMeSport yesterday.
Antonio Nusa, the former teammate of Yan Diomande before the Ivorian left RB Leipzig for Real Madrid, has insisted he "never expressed a desire to leave Leipzig" (Sky Sport Germany). Nusa was linked with Liverpool and a wide range of other clubs earlier in the summer but surely will be staying put now after Leipzig cashed in on their 19-year-old belle of the ball.
And in a development that has blindsided literally everyone, Darwin Nunez is claimed to have "previously been monitored by Tottenham" by Miguel Delaney of The i Paper. According to Delaney, there has been no "formal bid" for Nunez - who is still under contract at Al Hilal despite being excluded from their squad earlier this year - but with uncertainty around the future of Richarlison, the implication is Spurs could revive their interest. Really not sure how to feel about that!
Nonsense of the day
Yan Diomande has now completed a move to Real Madrid and the reason behind his decision not to join Liverpool has been revealed
Yan Diomande has now completed a move to Real Madrid and the reason behind his decision not to join Liverpool has been revealed(Image: Getty Images)
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At long last, we can all put the Yan Diomande malarkey firmly behind us. And it's just as well - if the Ousmane Diomande story develops further, things could have quickly got confusing.
Real Madrid have now announced Diomande's signing - Yan, that is - for 120 big ones. British big ones (£), to be clear. In European big ones, we're talking €134m.
In doing so, they posted this rather disturbing picture of the young fella himself, who only had eyes for Real Madrid. See what I did there?
The real nonsense herein, though, lies in the reason The Athletic revealed to be behind Diomande's decision to turn down Liverpool. According to the publication, Diomande was unconvinced after speaking to Andoni Iraola because he felt "that Liverpool would be in transition over the coming season".
Now, he has a point. Liverpool are in a bit of a state as things stand, and that's only going to be proven otherwise once Iraola's Reds get a good few wins under their belt and we've had chance to assess the lay of the land at the end of the transfer window.
But need we remind Diomande where he's ended up? Joining the back-to-back European champions PSG would have been one thing, but Real Madrid are a team that was being jeered for the duration of games by its own fans last season as players literally hospitalised each other in dressing room bust-ups.
And to top it all off, Jose Mourinho - a manager whose most recent novel tactical idea was 20 years ago - is now the man in charge of cleaning up the mess Diomande's new teammates have left all over the floor at Valdebebas and on the pitch, where Madrid haven't won a trophy in the last two seasons.
Granted, he now gets to play with Kylian Mbappe - and who wouldn't want that - but that, to me, sounds very much like a transition, Yan. Make it make sense.
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