Bradley Barcola's Future: Liverpool and Arsenal Eye Transfer
Bradley Barcola’s future at Paris Saint-Germain has been thrown wide open, and Liverpool are circling.
While the 23-year-old winger lights up the World Cup with France – he scored in their opening Group I win over Senegal – the club that currently employs him is struggling to lock him down. Talks over a new contract at PSG have completely stalled, according to Fabrizio Romano, and Europe’s elite have taken note.
A rising star, stuck in a queue
Barcola is coming off a standout season in Paris: 13 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances, a key part of a side that not only defended their Ligue 1 crown but also retained the Champions League title. Inside France, he is already viewed as one of the most gifted attackers of his generation, with the ceiling to become genuinely world-class.
Yet even that hasn’t guaranteed him top billing in Luis Enrique’s biggest games. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia currently sits ahead of him in the pecking order for the marquee fixtures. For a player of Barcola’s ambition, that matters.
So he is listening. PSG, aware of the growing interest, have slapped a €100m (£86m) valuation on him. That has not scared anyone off.
Liverpool and Arsenal move into position
Liverpool and Arsenal are now locked in an early arm-wrestle for his signature. Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel, confirmed that both Premier League clubs have Barcola firmly on their lists.
“Bradley Barcola is on Arsenal’s shortlist for sure, he’s one of the wingers appreciated, but Barcola is also on the list at Liverpool,” he said, adding that the Reds “keep a close eye” on his situation and have tracked him since 2025.
The key detail is in Paris. Negotiations between PSG and Barcola over a new deal are, in Romano’s words, “completely, completely on standby.” No progress, no breakthrough, no momentum. For Liverpool and Arsenal, that is an invitation.
His situation, Romano stressed, “remains one to watch in this summer transfer window,” with the door open not only to the two English giants but potentially to other suitors if PSG fail to move.
Liverpool’s Plan B – who might become Plan A
At Anfield, Barcola has emerged as a serious alternative to RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, a player Liverpool have already tried to prise away with a €100m offer. Leipzig’s response has been brutal: pay €148m (£128m) or walk away.
That figure has forced Liverpool to look harder at other options. Barcola is not just a name on a long list; internally, he is a live topic.
On the Born ‘N Red podcast, Romano lifted the lid on Liverpool’s thinking. He explained that the club are maintaining contacts for both Diomande and Barcola, but at very different stages. For Diomande, there is already an official bid on the table and ongoing talks with Leipzig and the player’s camp. With Barcola, Romano described it more as a strong internal conviction and admiration.
“Internally at Liverpool they are discussing Barcola every single week,” he revealed. “It’s a player they appreciate, a player they wanted already in summer 2025, but it wasn’t possible. So, they love Barcola!”
Reports in France go even further, claiming Barcola is “thrilled” by the prospect of a move to Anfield. That emotional pull matters, especially when a club is trying to reshape its attack for the next cycle.
Arsenal’s opening move
Liverpool will not get a free run. Arsenal, who have been steadily upgrading their forward line over recent windows, are also pushing. They have reportedly prepared an opening bid of around €80m (£69m), testing PSG’s resolve and the true strength of that €100m asking price.
For Mikel Arteta’s side, Barcola represents another high-ceiling wide option to complement their existing front line. For Liverpool, he could be something more: a bridge between eras.
Life after Salah – and the scramble to prepare it
Liverpool have already invested heavily in their attack this summer, landing Spanish winger Victor Munoz from Osasuna for €40m (£34.5m). But the recruitment drive is not about depth alone.
They need someone to compete with Cody Gakpo in the wide areas. More urgently, they need to start shaping life after Mohamed Salah.
That is the context in which Barcola’s name keeps resurfacing at Kirkby. A 23-year-old with Champions League pedigree, title-winning experience, and the versatility to grow into a leading role ticks almost every box for a club planning its next great forward line.
The Diomande pursuit remains alive, but Leipzig’s stance has injected real doubt. A German journalist has already outlined why Liverpool are finding it so difficult to get that deal over the line, and every day of deadlock makes the alternative more attractive.
Right now, Barcola is scoring goals on the world stage while his future at PSG drifts in limbo. Liverpool “love” him. Arsenal are readying bids. PSG are standing still.
Something has to give.
