PSG star Bradley Barcola next to the Liverpool badge
PSG star Bradley Barcola is Liverpool's top summer target
Liverpool are growing in confidence that a deal for Bradley Barcola will soon be finalised, with one well-informed journalist suggesting a deal could be done this week, while the PSG star has been branded a game-changing addition for Andoni Iraola and a major upgrade on Cody Gakpo.
The Reds are strongly pushing to bring in Barcola as the marquee addition to their attack, with Liverpool seeking a high-calibre replacement for Mohamed Salah.
Striking a deal, though, with PSG will not be easy, and despite our revelation that Luis Enrique has decided to freeze the player out of their first-team plans until a resolution is found, the European champions are demanding a hefty fee for the 23-year-old star.
Indeed, with talks ongoing over a potential deal, Liverpool could be looking at forking out a fee in excess of £115m (€135m, $157m) for the 28-cap France attacker.
Despite the sky-high fees involved, his prospective signing has been welcomed by Stan Collymore, who has exclusively told TEAMtalk why the addition of Barcola can help Iraola’s side reach the next level.
“He represents a clear upgrade on Gakpo,” Collymore told us in association with 10bet, the home of football betting. “When I look at Gakpo, I see a central striker who has been shunted out to the left. He’s done fine and scored goals from there, but he’s essentially an awkward striker adapted to play on the left of a front three.
“Barcola, on the other hand, can play down either flank or drop off as a number 10 because he carries the ball well, beats defenders, and creates chances. He has that sharp, sliding pass to set up teammates.
“In a market where Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson go for record fees and top game-changers command £115m to £116m, paying that extra amount for a player of Barcola’s profile isn’t a massive stretch.
“He’s a staple in the French national team. Having a player who can pick up the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box, slide throughballs to Isak, or beat his man on the outside to whip low crosses across the six-yard box would be a massive asset for Liverpool.”
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Liverpool’s Barcola signing to go through this week – journalist
Collymore also explained why he thinks the time has come for Liverpool to move Gakpo on, with the Dutchman the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
“Liverpool fans and the club would likely say they got decent value for what they paid. He wasn’t spectacular. Over his tenure, he’s been a six-and-a-half out of ten, who scored big goals in key moments.
“However, as a central number nine or on the left wing, his ceiling is somewhat limited. He has plateaued around the level he arrived at – a reliable six-and-a-half or seven out of ten max.
“Liverpool got what they paid for, whereas a player like Barcola offers the potential to consistently hit an eight or nine out of ten and be a true match-winner.
“In a league where Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Aston Villa continue to invest heavily, match-winners in top-six clashes define where the title goes. Gakpo wasn’t that player, but Barcola certainly can be!”
Earlier this week, David Lynch revealed his optimism that a move to take Barcola to Anfield was now a question of ‘when, not if’, outlining his belief a deal was closing in.
Now, taking that to the next level, the Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele has suggested that an agreement between the clubs could be finalised ‘this week’.
He told Anfield Index’s YouTube channel: “I think that it’s going to be this week. It’s got to be this week!
“All the noise suggests that a second bid or a more official proposal and for the clubs to sort of meet in the middle is something that may happen.
“We know everyone in all parties desire is to make a move happen.”
“The worry is that the clock is ticking and they just need to get moving.”
On a potential timescale, he added: “Hopefully it’ll be for the second game.
“Liverpool have been after this fabled winger for what feels like five years now.”
In conclusion, he added: “Let’s just see what happens in the next 48 hours. But I think it’ll start moving soon.”
The good news for Liverpool is that personal terms for Barcola have already been agreed on a multi-year contract at Anfield.
Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit also thinks Barcola is Anfield-bound, explaining why the Reds will beat Arsenal to his signature.