Bradley Barcola
Bradley Barcola
Bradley Barcola was Liverpool’s marquee attacking signing following Mohamed Salah’s departure last summer. Salah left behind a legacy of world-class performances and major trophies, while Barcola arrived at Anfield as a back-to-back European champion with Paris Saint-Germain.
The France international signed a five-year contract, becoming the fifth new arrival at Anfield last summer after winger Victor Munoz and defenders Jeremy Jacquet, Ronald Araujo and Ifeanyi Ndukwe.
Wearing the No.29 shirt, Barcola prefers to operate on the left wing but is also capable of playing across the forward line. He was brought in to strengthen Andoni Iraola’s attacking options following Salah’s exit and Hugo Ekitike’s long-term injury.
Barcola scored 13 goals and provided seven assists in 49 appearances across all competitions for PSG last season. He also featured in all eight of France’s games at the 2026 World Cup, scoring three goals as Les Bleus reached the third-place play-off.
Such a high-profile signing inevitably brings expectations and pressure. However, Barcola insists he is not feeling either the weight of his transfer fee or the pressure of following in Salah’s footsteps.
“First of all, I wasn’t the one who decided the transfer fee,” Barcola tells Sky Sports. “So that’s not been my problem. And regarding Mo Salah, he’s a legend here. A huge one. He’s done big things here and for that I have an enormous respect for him. But it’s not pressure for me at all.
“I’m not Mohamed Salah, so I’m going to try to contribute whatever I can to the club and make my own mark on its history. I don’t feel any pressure about that.”
Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at the weekend saw them fail to register a shot on target at Anfield for the first time since Premier League records began.
They also rank second-bottom in the division for big chances created this season. If Arsenal represent the level Liverpool need to reach, the Reds still have plenty of work to do.
Barcola, who is yet to score a Premier League goal this season, has made 12 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, scoring three goals and providing two assists.
Support DaveOCKOP and enjoy the site completely ad-free. You’ll get an uninterrupted browsing experience while helping us continue to deliver the latest Liverpool news, breaking stories and exclusives. Go ad-free today.