Liverpool Intensifies Pursuit of Bradley Barcola as PSG Lowers Price
Liverpool’s pursuit of Bradley Barcola has moved into an intense final phase, with Fabrizio Romano convinced the club are ready to launch a “very strong” push after Paris Saint-Germain dropped their price again.
The 23-year-old France international has been Liverpool’s priority wide target all summer. Inside Anfield, the plan is clear: two wingers before the window shuts. Barcola is the flagship move. Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh is currently ahead of Ibrahim Mbaye in the race to become the second addition.
Personal terms with Barcola are already understood to be in place. The real battle is with PSG’s hierarchy, and that fight is now being waged on a daily basis. Directors from both clubs are in direct contact, working through fee and structure rather than playing out a public bidding war.
PSG are open to selling. Barcola, along with Mbaye, was left out of the squad for the Ligue 1 opener against Rennes at the weekend, a clear signal of where he stands in Luis Enrique’s plans.
The numbers have been the sticking point from day one. PSG initially tried to plant a flag at a staggering €170m (£145m). Liverpool never even contemplated going that high. The landscape then began to shift once PSG brought in three new forwards: Ferran Torres, Mika Godts and Maghnes Akliouche. With fresh attacking options secured, multiple reports indicated the asking price had eased to around €146m (£125m).
Now it has dropped again. On Tuesday morning, insider Graeme Bailey was told PSG have lowered their demands to roughly €140m (£119m). Inside Liverpool, that development has landed well. Club chiefs have no desire to make Barcola the most expensive player in British football and heap that weight on his shoulders before he even kicks a ball at Anfield.
That particular record currently belongs to Alexander Isak at £125m. If Liverpool agree to PSG’s new valuation, Isak’s fee would still stand as the benchmark.
Romano, speaking on YouTube, underlined how seriously Liverpool are now moving.
“On Bradley Barcola, guys, I told you since the beginning, it is not going to be €170m,” he said. “With all respect for PSG, the feeling of those in the industry has always been that it is never going to be €170m, but it will still be a big amount of money.
“And this is why Liverpool and PSG are having a direct exchange day by day. So, the conversation is continuing behind the scenes.
“I told you the updates, the media updates on this story are not so traditional, like an official bid, this money, accepted, rejected, because this is a direct conversation between directors, between owners.
“So, they are talking in a direct way, Liverpool and PSG, but the deal is alive. Barcola is absolutely, absolutely a deal that Liverpool want to complete in the next few days, and my expectation is absolutely for Liverpool to go very strong for Barcola.
“Then you still need to reach an agreement for PSG to have the ‘Here We Go’. So, that remains the story and Liverpool are going very strong for Bradley Barcola. And then they want one more if Cody Gakpo goes to Tottenham or Man City.”
That last line is crucial. Liverpool’s winger rebuild is not just about Barcola. If Cody Gakpo is prised away by Tottenham or Manchester City, the club intend to replace him immediately, on top of the Frenchman.
For now, all eyes are on those quiet calls between Liverpool and Paris. The fee has moved. The player is ready. The clock is ticking.
