Liverpool’s Pursuit of Bradley Barcola Intensifies with Verbal Agreement
Liverpool’s pursuit of Bradley Barcola has moved into a new gear, with Fabrizio Romano claiming there is now a “verbal agreement” between the Paris Saint-Germain winger and the Anfield club.
The message from the player’s side is clear: Barcola wants Liverpool. Now the hard part starts.
Barcola picks Liverpool – but PSG dig in
Liverpool turned to Barcola after missing out on Yan Diomande, who has joined Real Madrid, as they search for a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah on the right flank.
Despite an already busy summer that has brought in Ronald Araujo, Victor Munoz and Jeremy Jacquet, the squad still looks thin out wide. Internally, there is an acceptance that at least one – and possibly two – wingers are still needed, especially with Cody Gakpo attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur and facing an uncertain future.
Barcola has emerged as the standout target. He is under contract at PSG until 2028, but multiple reports state he does not want to extend that deal because his priority is to join Liverpool.
Romano has repeatedly stressed that personal terms would not be an issue, and his latest update goes a step further: a “verbal agreement” is now in place between Liverpool and Barcola. The winger, Romano says, “wants to go” to Anfield, and Liverpool are “ready to go strong” to get him.
The problem? PSG’s price.
A “crazy” price tag
Liverpool’s biggest obstacle is not convincing Barcola. It is shifting PSG from a valuation that has stunned even a Premier League giant used to inflated fees.
PSG are reported to want as much as £145 million for the 21-year-old. Romano has described their stance as a demand for a “crazy” proposal worth around €200m for a package involving Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye. That figure has already pushed Liverpool away from any move for Mbaye.
For Barcola alone, the French champions are still holding out for a huge fee. Liverpool, as things stand, are not prepared to go anywhere near the full initial demand, but they have not walked away from the table either. Romano insists “a deal is on” and that Liverpool still aim to add two wingers before the window closes.
Schira: Liverpool ‘getting closer’ at €125m
Italian journalist Nicolo Schira has gone even further than Romano in his assessment of where talks stand. He claims Liverpool are now “getting closer” to signing Barcola in a deal worth €125m (around £106m), with a contract running until 2032.
Schira wrote on X: “Excl. – Bradley #Barcola is getting closer to #Liverpool from #PSG for 125M. Contract until 2032.”
That figure is significantly below PSG’s initial £145m stance, which is why any suggestion of a breakthrough still comes with a warning label. It remains difficult to see the French club simply backing down from their starting price without a fight, especially for a player they regard as one of the most valuable young attackers in Europe.
PSG keep their cards close
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has not slammed the door shut on a sale, but he has not invited Liverpool in either. His public stance is calm, controlled and typically guarded.
“We’re working calmly,” Al-Khelaifi said. “We don’t talk too much. We get things done.
“All of our players are important. When they sign for PSG, they become important to us.”
The message is familiar: PSG will not be rushed, and they will not be bullied on price. Yet the absence of any outright refusal to sell leaves a crack in the door for Liverpool.
A defining swing in Liverpool’s rebuild?
Liverpool’s recruitment drive already carries the feel of a new era, but the wide positions remain the biggest question mark. With Salah’s long-term future unresolved and Gakpo potentially on the move, the club’s hierarchy knows the next major signing in attack has to land.
Barcola has made it clear where he wants to play next. Liverpool have told his camp they are ready to push. PSG are holding the line on value.
Something has to give.
