Liverpool Renew Bid for Barcola and Mbaye
Liverpool have stepped back into negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain with renewed intent, lodging fresh bids for highly-rated duo Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye, according to reports.
The moves come after an already assertive start to the summer window. Liverpool have rebuilt the spine of their squad with three early signings: centre-back Jeremy Jacquet from Stade Rennais for £55m, versatile defender Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5m, and Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona. Defence and wide areas have clearly been the priority. Now the focus is sharpening on Paris.
Liverpool push on Barcola deal
Barcola has been on Liverpool’s radar for months, and the pursuit has never really cooled. The sticking point has always been the price.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel last week, underlined how central the France international remains to Liverpool’s plans.
“The situation of Barcola remains absolutely linked to Liverpool,” he said. “Liverpool want Barcola. Liverpool are negotiating for Barcola… Liverpool are still trying for Barcola. There’s still a gap in financial valuation between what PSG want and what Liverpool offer, but they’re still working for Barcola.
“The financial agreement with the player is okay, and now Liverpool and PSG keep talking, exchanging messages and discussing for Barcola. The deal is alive.”
PSG are understood to value Barcola at around £130m, a figure Liverpool have so far been reluctant to meet. But the latest reports suggest the Premier League side have now returned with a new proposal, hoping to finally close that gap.
Enrique hints at exits
Luis Enrique has not named Barcola directly, but his recent comments carry a clear message about players whose futures lie elsewhere.
“We are a very young, very ambitious team,” the PSG head coach said at the weekend. “It is important for us to make changes and look for players who enjoy playing our way and who love playing for PSG.
“When a player doesn’t want to come here, or doesn’t have a smile on their face about being here, it is better to find another solution.”
On Sunday, Enrique left both Barcola and Mbaye out of the squad for PSG’s Trophée des Champions defeat to Lens. Asked about that decision, he replied: “I’ll talk about the situation after the transfer window has passed.”
The omission only fuelled the sense that PSG are preparing for life without at least one of them.
Double bid for Barcola and Mbaye
Liverpool’s interest is not limited to Barcola. Mbaye, valued by PSG at around £42m, is also on their list as they look to deepen their options and push the squad “to the next level”.
A well-known X account with over 700,000 followers, which claims to work with “five elite reporters”, stated on Monday evening that Liverpool had launched a double offensive.
“EXCLUSIVE: This evening around 5pm Liverpool Football Club drop a double bomb,” the post read. “Fresh new bids for Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye. Sources say the Reds are confident the Barcola deal gets done. And they’re quietly hopeful the Mbaye bid lands too.”
PSG’s combined £172m valuation for the pair remains a major hurdle, and there is no indication yet that the French champions have accepted either offer. But Liverpool’s willingness to return with new bids underlines how aggressively they are prepared to act in this window.
The financial agreement with Barcola is already said to be in place. Talks with PSG continue. Messages go back and forth. The deal, as Romano put it, is alive.
Now the question is simple: will Liverpool push their spending past the breaking point to land both targets, or will PSG’s stance force them to walk away from one of the boldest double moves of the summer?
