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File photo dated 01/10/24 of Bradley Barcola. Liverpool are edging closer to a deal for Paris St Germain forward Bradley Barcola, according to reports. Issue date: Tuesday August 25, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Adam Davy/PA Wire
Liverpool are closing in on a €140 million deal for Bradley Barcola following a breakthrough in talks with Paris Saint-Germain.
Barcola has been Liverpool’s main transfer target all summer only for PSG’s €170 million valuation to prove a significant hurdle. However, further negotiations on Wednesday night ended in an outline agreement being reached over a compromise fee. Liverpool have agreed to pay a guaranteed sum of just over €116 million for the France international, with add-ons based on individual and team success, taking the overall package to around €140 million.
The full structure of the deal has not been finalised but Wednesday night’s breakthrough, coupled with PSG’s willingness to lower their asking price for the 23-year-old, should see Barcola complete his move to Merseyside before Tuesday’s transfer deadline. Liverpool were informed last month that the player was keen to join them, having fallen down the pecking order for Luis Enrique’s team.
Barcola has two years remaining on his PSG contract but informed the club that he will not be signing an extension. The two-time European champions have added Ferran Torres, Maghnes Akliouche and Mika Godts to their formidable attacking options this summer and subsequently omitted Barcola from their matchday squads this season.
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PSG signed Barcola for €45 million from Lyon in 2023 and the winger has played a prominent role in the rise of Enrique’s Champions League winners. But Enrique’s preference for a front line of Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in PSG’s biggest matches last season prompted Barcola to consider his options.
The arrival of Barcola – and sources close to the deal insist it is not done yet – would make him potentially the second most expensive signing in Liverpool’s history behind £125 million Alexander Isak, but the club have still to land a replacement for Mohamed Salah on the right. Liverpool have had two bids rejected by Brighton for Yankuba Minteh and, despite inquiring over Ismaïla Sarr’s availability, have not made an offer for the Crystal Palace forward.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of the Chelsea striker Liam Delap in a club-record £45 million (€52.5 million) deal. The 23-year-old has a five-year contract at Forest, his third club in three seasons after he was told he was not part of Xabi Alonso’s plans.
Forest’s new manager, Oliver Glasner, made him a priority during the transfer window and Delap said: “I really can’t wait to get started. This is a massive club with a big history. I spoke to the manager and I like his way, I think he can be the one to really help me develop and make that next step and hopefully I can bring goals here.”
The former England youth international, whose father Rory won 11 caps for the Republic of Ireland, had been made to train separately at Chelsea and had his No 9 shirt reassigned to João Pedro. Chelsea have made a profit on a player they signed for £30 million from Ipswich a year ago, despite Delap scoring two goals in all competitions.
He has been signed in time to make his debut against Liverpool on Saturday, but it remains to be seen whether Glasner will throw him straight in. – Guardian/PA