Liverpool have shown a wealth of interest toward Paris Saint-Germain winger, Bradley Barcola, this summer, as they look to bolster their attacking line under Andoni Iraola
Bradley Barcola and a football
PSG say Bradley Barcola is not for sale(Image: AP)
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PSG have told Liverpool that Bradley Barcola is not for sale this summer, despite entertaining interest from Arsenal. The Reds are looking to strengthen their attacking line under Andoni Iraola, and have their work cut out to replace a departing Mohamed Salah.
While RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande had been a long-term target for the Reds, it now appears as thought the Ivorian winger is set to make his way to the Parc des Princes on a five-year deal. That's only if PSG meet their valuation which is thought to exceed £85million, however.
As a result, Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Barcola, who is currently shining at the World Cup as part of Didier Deschamps' French national team. The Anfield top brass also faced stiff competition in their pursuit of the 23-year-old, given Arsenal had been given encouragement that a deal was possible.
As per L'Equipe, Les Parisiens were said to have slapped a price tag of around £128m on Barcola, highlighting the winger's potential and importance to their success in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League. However, the Independent now suggests that PSG have changed their mind on allowing Barcola to leave.
It's a decision which will send Liverpool back to the drawing board as they consider attacking options for a post-Salah life. Talk of Barcola's potential arrival saw contrasting opinions emerge from a number of former Premier League players, with Emile Heskey rating the Frenchman incredibly highly.
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 was in agreement with Heskey's assessment, as he told 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.
"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 was not so convinced that Barcola would fit the mould, given he is predominantly a left-winger, where as an urgent replacement is needed on the right flank in the wake of Salah's exit. He told BetWright: "The only thing with Barcola, of course, is he’s more comfortable on the left than the right.
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"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."
While Arsenal are now set on securing Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, it remains to be seen as to who the Reds will target next. Reports suggest that Liverpool are closely monitoring Real Ovideo's Haissem Hassan, following an impressive World Cup with Egypt.
The 24-year-old has also seen interest from Olympique Marseille and Celtic - the latter thought to have seen an opening offer of around £3.5m knocked back.