Liverpool on Verge of £120m Bradley Barcola Deal as Salah Successor
Liverpool are on the brink of landing Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal that would reshape their forward line and send shockwaves across Europe.
An agreement in principle is in place between the clubs for a package worth around £120million (€140m), with more than £100m guaranteed. The final details were being thrashed out on Thursday, but nothing has been signed yet.
This is big, even by Liverpool’s recent standards.
Inside the deal
On Liverpool’s side, sporting director Richard Hughes, CEO Billy Hogan and Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon have been driving negotiations. Across the table, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been leading talks for the French champions.
The two clubs held decisive talks on Tuesday, clearing the path for Barcola to make the move he wants. The 23-year-old has been committed to joining Liverpool and has made his intentions clear in Paris.
Barcola has two years left on his PSG contract but has told the European champions he does not want to extend. His stance has already had consequences: he was left out of the squad for PSG’s Ligue 1-opening 2-2 draw with Rennes on Sunday.
The message was obvious. His future lies elsewhere.
Salah’s heir apparent
Liverpool identified Barcola early in the summer as their primary target to replace Mohamed Salah. On July 29, The Athletic reported the club were preparing an opening bid; weeks later, they are now close to getting their man.
Barcola offers versatility and menace. He operates mainly off the left but can switch to the right, a crucial trait for any forward stepping into the void Salah will eventually leave. He is direct, aggressive with the ball, and thrives in one-on-one situations — the kind of winger who forces defenders to backpedal and crowds to rise.
At PSG last season, he had to scrap for minutes. He was in direct competition with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue and, in the latter stages of the Champions League, Luis Enrique often used him from the bench as PSG claimed back-to-back European titles.
Even so, he still imposed himself on the campaign.
Barcola made 49 appearances in 2025-26, scoring 13 goals and adding seven assists as PSG retained their Ligue 1 crown alongside that Champions League triumph. Since breaking into the first team in 2021-22, the Lyon academy graduate has produced 39 goals and 37 assists in 152 games — serious numbers for a wide forward still short of his peak.
On the international stage, his profile has risen just as quickly. Barcola played a prominent role for France at this summer’s World Cup, featuring in all eight matches and scoring three goals.
He is not a prospect anymore. He is a ready-made weapon.
What it means for Liverpool – and for others
Liverpool have needed this. The search for a new attacking spark has dragged through the summer, and the longer the saga ran, the louder the questions became.
Now they are close to their answer.
Andoni Iraola, tasked with imposing a more front-foot, high-tempo style at Anfield, is set to gain another rapid, fearless winger to fit that blueprint. Barcola’s pace, his willingness to attack space and commit defenders, align neatly with the kind of football Iraola wants to play.
He is the type of forward who can change the mood of a stadium with one surge down the flank. Liverpool have been looking for someone who can unsettle opponents the way Salah once did from the right. Barcola, with his blend of speed, end product and versatility, ticks every box they drew up at the start of the window.
His arrival, though, will not happen in isolation.
A move of this scale is likely to have knock-on effects for Cody Gakpo. The Dutchman has been repeatedly linked with Tottenham Hotspur and has attracted interest from Manchester City this summer. If Liverpool complete a nine-figure deal for another wide forward, the scrutiny on Gakpo’s future will only intensify.
For now, Liverpool are focused on getting Barcola over the line. The structure of the deal is in place, the player wants the move, and both clubs are working through the final details.
Supporters have waited all summer for a signing to ignite their excitement. If Liverpool get this done, they will not be waiting any longer.
