Liverpool Pursue Bradley Barcola with £100m Offer
Liverpool have pushed their chips to the middle of the table for Bradley Barcola, cranking up their pursuit of the Paris Saint‑Germain winger with a new £100m bid and a bold attempt to raid the French champions twice in one window.
After losing out on Yan Diomande – who chose PSG before Real Madrid dramatically hijacked that move – Liverpool have shifted their focus fully onto Barcola. The 23-year-old, tempted by the promise of a bigger role under new head coach Andoni Iraola, is understood to be keen on Anfield.
PSG, sensing his possible departure, are already moving the pieces. Targets have been lined up: Maghnes Akliouche at Monaco and Ajax’s Mika Godts are both on their radar as potential replacements, a clear sign in Paris that Barcola’s exit is more than just a hypothetical.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano revealed on Monday that “official club-to-club talks” are under way between Liverpool and PSG. Those talks began with a sizeable gap. Liverpool opened at around €100m (£86m). PSG, never shy in the market and under no pressure to sell cheaply, responded with a demand in the region of €150m (£128.5m).
The gap has narrowed. According to BBC Sport, Liverpool have now indicated they are prepared to go to £100m (€117m) to get the deal done. It is a statement figure, one that underlines just how determined the club are to reshape their forward line for Iraola’s first season.
There is still a distance to travel, but the direction of travel is clear. Liverpool are edging closer to PSG’s valuation, and once the two clubs find common ground on the fee, the rest should move quickly. Personal terms are not expected to be a stumbling block.
This is not just about one winger, though. It is about a complete refresh of Liverpool’s wide options.
Double raid: Mbaye joins the plan
Alongside Barcola, Liverpool are pushing for Ibrahim Mbaye, the 18-year-old PSG talent who caught the eye with Senegal at the World Cup. Reliable French reporter Fabrice Hawkins has reported that Liverpool have already made contact with PSG over the teenager, signalling a serious attempt at a double swoop.
The profiles are complementary. Barcola prefers to operate off the left, drifting in to attack the box. Mbaye is more at home on the right, stretching play and attacking his full-back. Together, they would strengthen both flanks of Liverpool’s attack and inject youth, pace and unpredictability into Iraola’s front line.
On Tuesday night, Romano added another layer to the Mbaye chase, reporting that Liverpool have made contact with his new agent, Jorge Mendes. That detail matters. Mendes’ involvement often accelerates negotiations, and Liverpool are not alone in the queue.
Mbaye has proposals from Bundesliga clubs, but, according to Romano, he is giving priority to the Liverpool project. A deal with RB Leipzig had been close before collapsing once the Diomande-to-PSG move fell apart, a domino effect that has now swung the door open for Liverpool.
Talks will continue. The money on the table for Barcola, the conversations around Mbaye, the preparation work at PSG with Akliouche and Godts: all of it points to a pivotal few days in the market.
Liverpool have made their move. PSG must now decide how high the price of their next rebuild really is.
