Liverpool make Bradley Barcola breakthrough

Updated: 27 Jul 2026 08:17 BST |
5 min read

Robin Bairner
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Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

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Liverpool have taken a significant step towards signing PSG and France winger Bradley Barcola.

The Reds had made Barcola their top transfer target for the left wing role after accepting defeat in the race for Yan Diomande, which now seems primed to be won by Real Madrid.

PSG have been reticent to sell Barcola, but with contract talks between the club and the player having broken down, they are now open to a deal for a sizeable fee.

According to transfer insider Nico Schira, the wideman has already agreed personal terms with the Anfield club, potentially setting up a blockbuster summer move.

The Italian journalist reports that Barcola will receive a ‘top salary’ at Liverpool in a deal that will run until 2032.

However, negotiating a transfer fee with PSG promises to be a laborious task. The two-time Champions League winners have reportedly put a €170 million price tag on Barcola’s head, which would make him the third-most expensive player in history behind only Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Liverpool are unlikely to match such a demand, which could prompt weeks of negotiations.

Liverpool and Barcola are a match made in heaven

Data analytics firm SciSports has told France international winger that Liverpool is the best destination for him via its Career Advice tool, which gives each club a Club Fit score based on how suitably a move would be.

No club scores higher than Liverpool for Barcola. In particular, they are a five-star style and formation match, suggesting that the Frenchman would slot in perfectly at Anfield.

Liverpool can give Barcola what he thrives on

Barcola certainly looks the perfect player for Liverpool if they revert back the direct, attacking style that they showcased for years under Jurgen Klopp and in the first season Arne Slot spent in charge.

He is a player who leans on his pace, acceleration and directness to trouble opponents. Give him space to attack in behind, and he is a potential game-breaking player, particularly if he is high in confidence in front of goal.

Arsenal are one of the other clubs heavily linked with Barcola, but Mikel Arteta’s more studied approach does not suit him. Barcola does not have the devastating technical ability of a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia or a Desire Doue, making him less effective against teams defending in a low block.

This was evident during France’s World Cup run. Barcola was stifled against a very defensive Morocco side in the quarter-finals but conversely thrived in the chaos of the third-place playoff against England when introduced in the second half.

The next Ousmane Dembele?

There are comparisons to be drawn between Barcola and Ousmane Dembele before he matured and peaked as a player under Luis Enrique at PSG, resulting in him winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or against all the odds.

Dembele became something of a joke figure at Barcelona partly because of his constant physical glitches but more because of his frustrating indecisiveness in front of goal. Across six seasons at Camp Nou, he never once delivered 15 or more goal contributions in La Liga.

Barcola has a similar frustrating element to his game. He gets into good areas but gets into ruts during which he can struggle to execute when his confidence drops. Indeed, there are periods when he can look downright clumsy in front of goal.

If he can tidy this aspect of his game up, he is a potential Ballon d’Or-level player. Clearly, that sounds like a big claim, yet few would have thought it was possible for Dembele to polish up his game to hit such heights.

Barcola needs the trust of a coach and a system that suits him to hit that level, and Liverpool can provide him with both.

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