Arsenal Target Bradley Barcola in £100m Chase Amid Liverpool Interest
Arsenal’s summer window already had a statement feel. Then Bruno Guimaraes walked out at the Emirates on Sunday, £75m worth of midfield authority, and the mood shifted again. The Premier League champions are acting like it – and some of the club’s former players now want the next punch thrown straight at Liverpool.
The target: Bradley Barcola.
Arsenal’s window grows teeth
Bruno Guimaraes is Mikel Arteta’s third signing of the summer, after the arrivals of highly rated winger Christos Tzolis and goalkeeper Illan Meslier. It is a window built on depth and detail so far, not just fireworks.
The big firework, though, was supposed to be Vinicius Junior. Arsenal pushed for a mega deal, only to watch the Brazilian sign a new six-year contract at Real Madrid and close that door for the foreseeable future.
So the search for another frontline creator continues. Marcus Rashford’s name sits on the rumour mill. So does Juventus talent Kenan Yildiz. But the most intriguing twist now circles around a player Liverpool have already lined up as their post-Mohamed Salah era headliner.
Liverpool line up Salah heir – but Arsenal lurk
Liverpool have identified 23-year-old Barcola as their top choice to replace Salah. The numbers are already out in the open: they are said to be ready to pay around £100m (€117m / $135m), while PSG are pushing for a fee closer to £128m (€150m / $172m).
Barcola, a two-time Champions League winner with PSG, has stalled on signing a new contract and is widely expected to move on. On paper, Liverpool are in pole position. A new era under Andoni Iraola, a marquee attacking signing, a chance to step straight into a huge role.
But the equation might not be that simple.
Former Arsenal forward Perry Groves claims there is a key factor tilting the scales: the player’s preference for London.
“Barcola wants to live in London”
Speaking on talkSPORT, Groves was asked whether Barcola would be better suited to Arsenal or Liverpool. He didn’t hesitate to back the club where he made his name.
“I’ve got no dog in the fight, but I would say the Gooners because Liverpool are a team that are in transition,” he said, pointing to Iraola’s arrival and the upheaval that naturally follows a new philosophy and a raft of signings.
From a player’s point of view, Groves argued, the choice is stark.
“If you were Barcola and you thought, what out of those two sides have got the most chance of winning the Premier League or Champions League, at the moment you’d say it was Arsenal.”
That is the pitch. The reality, though, is that Arsenal still have to decide whether they want to step into a bidding war at that level, having already pushed hard and missed out on Vinicius.
“So it’s whether Arsenal want to go in,” Groves continued. “If they go in for him, then there would have been advances being made to his people.
“Because they don’t want to be seen losing out on Vinicius Junior, being played like a little kitten with a ball of wool, but Arsenal have to be in for those sorts of players. That’s the level Arsenal are at now.”
Then came the line that will make Arsenal supporters sit up.
“I’ve got a source that says he [Barcola] wants to live in London. I can’t tell you, I can’t divulge my sources. I’ve got a source. I’ve got a mole. Barcola wants to live in London.”
If that information holds, it hands Arsenal a significant off-pitch advantage over Liverpool. The question is whether the club are prepared to translate it into a formal move.
Frimpong demands more – and points straight at Barcola
Perry Groves is not the only former Gunner pushing the club towards PSG’s winger.
Emmanuel Frimpong, speaking after the Guimaraes deal was finally confirmed, praised the signing but warned that one big capture is nowhere near enough for a side that wants to build a dynasty, not just a title defence.
“Mikel [Arteta] and the boys have finally got it over the line, which I’m very happy about,” he told Ladbrokes. “But they shouldn’t just win it once and be satisfied with that.
“They have to keep on winning it now and dominate just like how Man United and Man City have in the past.”
Frimpong believes the squad is strong but not complete. Not yet.
“We’ve got the players, we’ve got a deep squad and hopefully this summer, the board are going to strengthen further, because I still think we need a couple of wingers and a proper number eight.
I feel like Declan Rice is playing in a position which isn’t natural to him, so we need a proper number eight alongside him.”
He then nailed his colours to the mast on recruitment.
“For me, when it comes to realistic signings this summer, with those positions in mind, I feel like Bruno Guimaraes is someone I’d love to see at Arsenal.
“And also Bradley Barcola… I think he would be very good for Arsenal. Barcola and Bruno Guimaraes would be a very good transfer window for Arsenal.”
One of those boxes is already ticked. The other is sitting in Paris, with Liverpool at the door and a potential London escape route being quietly mapped out.
Arsenal have the title, the project, the money and, if Groves’ information is right, the city Barcola wants. Now comes the hard part: do they step into a £100m-plus fight with Liverpool and PSG, or watch a player built for their level light up Anfield instead?
