Arsenal Pursue PSG Winger Barcola as Cole Urges More Signings
Arsenal have joined the chase for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, with former striker Carlton Cole insisting the Frenchman is exactly the kind of forward Mikel Arteta still needs.
Barcola is ready to leave PSG and the French champions are open to a sale at the right price as they look to reshape their squad. That stance has sparked interest across Europe, with Liverpool currently the most advanced in their pursuit of the 21-year-old.
Liverpool may be leading the race, but they have not closed it. No agreement is in place, and that hesitation keeps the door ajar for Arsenal as the window ticks towards its close.
Arsenal’s left side under review
Inside the Emirates, the equation is simple. If Arsenal can move on Gabriel Martinelli, they are expected to step up their interest in Barcola. The PSG winger would arrive as a specialist option on the left, adding a different profile to an attack already bolstered this summer.
Barcola’s résumé is not light. He has collected back-to-back Champions League titles in Paris and would walk into London with genuine big-game experience, something Arsenal have been consciously stockpiling over recent windows.
That pedigree is one of the reasons Cole views him as an ideal fit.
Speaking to the Metro, Cole said:
“Bruno Guimaraes has come in, he's a brilliant player, and I still think they probably want one more signing before the window shuts. “I know they're still trying to do a little bit of business. I think they need another left-sided forward, they're obvious in the running to sign Barcola; they need someone like that.”
Cole’s message: don’t stop now
Cole’s assessment is blunt: Arsenal’s squad build is not finished. In his view, a left-sided forward remains a missing piece, and Barcola ticks the boxes — pace, direct running, and the mentality of a player used to competing for major honours.
Arsenal have already been active in the market, but the chance to add a Champions League winner in his early 20s is the kind of opportunity top clubs rarely ignore. Barcola’s speed and one‑v‑one ability on the flank would give Arteta another way to stretch defences, rotate his front line and keep standards high across all competitions.
Liverpool’s interest is serious and sustained. They have tracked Barcola for weeks and are seen as the frontrunners. Yet their failure so far to push the deal over the line offers Arsenal a window — provided they can clear space in the squad and match PSG’s demands.
So the situation hangs in the balance. If PSG cash in, Liverpool will expect to land their man. Arsenal, urged on by voices like Cole’s, will believe they still have time to change that script and bring another proven winner into a squad chasing the final margins at the top.
