Bradley Barcola made quite the impression during France’s win over Senegal in their World Cup opener on Tuesday night.
Bradley Barcola caught the eye during his brief cameo for France on Tuesday night(Image: Photo by Shaun Botterill – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Bradley Barcola only needed a couple of minutes to show Arsenal what they’re missing out on during France’s clash against Senegal. The Paris Saint-Germain winger, who’s recently been linked with a move to the Gunners, helped fire Didier Deschamps’ side to a 3-1 victory at the MetLife Stadium on Tuesday night as Les Bleus began the World Cup in style.
Kylian Mbappe broke the deadlock midway through the second half, latching onto an excellently crafted through ball from Michael Olise. The hydration break, a few moments later, sucked the momentum out of the game, so Barcola was eventually brought on to reinvigorate France.
Ousmane Dembélé made way for the 23-year-old, who marked his World Cup debut with a goal, just two minutes after stepping onto the field. Barcola doubled Les Bleus’ lead with a delightful chip over the onrushing Edouard Mendy, crowning a brilliant counter-attack with an even better finish.
He displayed his intelligence in recognising the space, his physical attributes in producing the run in-behind, his composure in reading the goalkeeper’s positioning, and his quality in executing the shot. Ibrahim Mbaye halved the deficit in stoppage time, but Mbappe restored France’s two-goal advantage seconds later.
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Aside from the goal, Barcola impressed in general play, too. He breathed new life into Deschamps’ side, stretching the Senegal backline with his darting runs and mazy dribbles.
The Arsenal target will enter the final two years of his contract in the French capital next month, casting an element of doubt over his future. According to French outlet L’Équipe, Barcola will be allowed to leave the Parc des Princes this summer.
The report claims that talks over a contract extension had been put on hold towards the end of last season, with club officials focusing on the business end of the campaign. It’s said that little progress had previously been made in negotiations.
L’Équipe reckon that Luis Enrique wants to keep Barcola, whose current deal expires in June 2028, but higher-ups are no longer reluctant to cash in, with Arsenal and Liverpool said to be admirers. The Parisians reportedly want to keep only players committed to the project.
Speaking to reporters in July 2025, the PSG boss was asked to provide an update on the winger’s future. He said: “Bradley Barcola’s future? I have no doubt he’ll remain our player.
“We like the fact that our players are interesting to other clubs. But he’s one of those young players we’ve been banking on. I expect him to play here for many more years.”
Enrique has since kept his cards close to his chest, leaving more questions than answers. Regardless of whether the Gunners make a move for Barcola, Mikel Arteta looks set to splash the cash again this summer.
After losing to PSG in the Champions League final last month, the Arsenal boss outlined his plan for a ‘very ambitious’ transfer window. He said: “First of all, I will take a few days with my family, and then we will start the process to review what we have done.
“We will have to start making some very important decisions if we want to reach another level. We are going to have to show that ambition because we are more than capable of doing it, but it is going to demand us to be very ambitious, very fast and very smart.”
