Liverpool are still trying to sign Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain before this summer transfer window ends, as new head coach Andoni Iraola wants wingers
Bradley Barcola taking part in a Paris Saint-Germain training session
Liverpool are determined to take Bradley Barcola to Anfield before the transfer window shuts(Image: LOU BENOIST, AFP via Getty Images)
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Bradley Barcola and his entourage are not panicking about the length of negotiations between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain as his transfer saga drags on. It is said they remain confident that both clubs will reach an agreement before the end of this summer transfer window at 11pm on 1 September.
PSG have left Barcola out of the squad for their last two matches. The first was the French Super Cup, which they lost 1-0 to Lens. However, he was photographed training the day beforehand, and also attended the match.
Barcola has not been involved for a fortnight since being an unused substitute in the UEFA Super Cup win over Aston Villa. PSG's only remaining match before the transfer deadline is on Friday night against Lille.
All sides involved in Barcola transfer negotiations appear hopeful that a switch to Liverpool will be finalised during the final days of the summer window. The winger has been linked with the Reds in recent months, however, the process has required patience from all concerned, as several critical elements still need to fall into place.
The initial considerations for Liverpool focused on a genuine willingness to pursue a deal. With Barcola entering the final two years of his Parc des Princes contract, he needed to signal his readiness to leave to force PSG into a decision.
Once that became apparent, the French and European champions faced the question of whether a sale would best serve their interests in maximising the player's market value. This decision subsequently came to pass.
Liverpool then needed to establish themselves as the leading contenders to land Barcola, which happened swiftly, before PSG set about identifying replacements in the transfer market to bolster their own attacking ranks. Everything fell into place for the Reds, who then faced the most daunting hurdle of all: club-to-club negotiations.
Les Parisiens placed a hefty price tag on the winger, creating a significant gap between the two clubs that needed to be closed before any deal could be struck. PSG knocked back initial bids as Liverpool looked to formalise their interest, with talks continuing deep into the final week of the transfer window.
Bradley Barcola looking on after receiving his UEFA Super Cup winners' medal
Bradley Barcola has not been in a Paris Saint-Germain matchday squad since the UEFA Super Cup(Image: SOPA Images, SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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It now appears the drawn-out saga is at last moving towards a conclusion that works for all involved, with widespread expectation that Barcola will ultimately complete his move to Anfield. According to a report from L'Equipe, Liverpool are readying a final bid for the winger that they are confident PSG will accept, following a narrowing of the valuation gap between the two clubs over recent weeks.
It is understood that Barcola and his representatives are growing increasingly optimistic that a deal will be struck, with 'nobody in panic mode', despite the apparent lack of progress thus far. There is an expectation that the transfer fee will exceed the Ligue Un record for a sale to a foreign club, surpassing both Ayyoub Bouaddi's impending switch to Manchester City this summer and Neymar's move to Al-Hilal in 2023.
The exact final sum remains unclear, with those details to be finalised in the dying days of the summer transfer window. Nevertheless, the deal would significantly strengthen Liverpool's attacking arsenal.
This marks just one of multiple expected transactions in Liverpool's late transfer flurry, with attention still focused on Minteh to bolster the right-wing choices at Andoni Iraola's disposal. Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo remains the subject of rumours regarding a potential exit. All of which suggests a frantic final week in the market for the Reds, with substantial business to be completed both incoming and outgoing at the club.
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