Bradley Barcola transfer news: Liverpool set to open talks with Paris Saint-Germain over winger with an opening offer prepared
Signing a winger has been a priority for Liverpool since the departure of Mohamed Salah; Arsenal also hold an interest in Bradley Barcola, who has two years left on his PSG contract and is said to be frustrated over a lack of game time in big matches
Wednesday 29 July 2026 21:54, UK
Liverpool are set to open talks with PSG over a potential deal for Bradley Barcola.
After preliminary talks with his representatives, Liverpool have prepared an opening offer and are set to formalise their interest with an official approach.
Signing a winger has been a priority since the departure of Mohamed Salah and Barcola has been on Liverpool's radar for a number of years.
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The 23-year-old has two years left on his PSG contract and has indicated he will not be signing a new one amid frustrations at a lack of game time. The opportunity to join Liverpool is said to appeal to the player.
The key to getting any deal moving will be PSG's willingness to reduce the price tag on the man they bought for around £40m back in 2023.
Valuations of top-level players this summer have been high. Sky Sports News reported on Tuesday that PSG value the France international as high as £145m (€170m). However other sources have now indicated it could be around £128.5m (€150m).
The success of Andoni Iraola's teams at Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano centred around the pace, energy and work-rate from his wingers, so Barcola could be a key piece of the Spaniard's new Liverpool jigsaw.
The fact Barcola has won nine major trophies in the last two years, including two Champions League titles, shows the calibre of player they are trying to bring to Anfield.
Arsenal also hold an interest in Barcola.
Carra: Barcola is not the Salah replacement Liverpool need
However, Jamie Carragher does not think Barcola is the player to replace Salah at Anfield.
Carragher questioned why Liverpool were pursuing another left winger when, he says, they have no options on the right.
"He plays on the opposite flank!" Carragher replied to a Sky Sports post on X asking if Barcola can be Salah's replacement.
"LFC currently have three players who could play from the left in Rio Ngumoha/Cody Gakpo/Florian Wirtz and no one who plays from the right."
Replying to a comment, which suggested Rio Ngumoha could play on the right, he added: "Rio has always played from the left so that's obviously his best position.
"Gakpo should move really but who knows. I'm interested to see where Wirtz plays. If he's 10, Dom (Szoboszlai) plays centre mid.
"I'm not sure about that. Need a right winger desperately!"
Why is Barcola wanted by Liverpool and Arsenal?
Sky Sports' Adam Bate:
Bradley Barcola could be the most expensive transfer of this summer window with Liverpool and Arsenal among the clubs chasing the Paris Saint-Germain forward. But why is he so prized? He has achieved plenty already. But there is more to come.
The 23-year-old France international has just won the Champions League with PSG back-to-back but had to be content with coming off the bench in both finals. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's arrival from Napoli in January of 2025 established him as first choice on the left.
But just because Barcola is not a guaranteed starter in Paris does not mean that he is not a guaranteed star. This is a player with pace, physicality and intelligence, someone whose skills have been honed under Luis Enrique. With Barcola, the potential is as vast as the fee.
Read Adam Bate's feature on Bradley Barcola here...
Could Arsenal come in for Barcola amid Vinicius Jr blow?
Vinicius Junior will be staying at Real Madrid beyond this summer, Sky Sports News has been told.
The Spanish club have no intention of selling him and are confident he will agree a new contract. This is despite the interest of Arsenal, who are monitoring his situation closely with a year remaining on his current deal.
Sky Sports News' Dharmesh Sheth said this week: "Arsenal will continue to keep an eye on Vinicius Jr's situation. He hasn't signed that new contract yet. As it stands, he has a year left on his contract. That's why they are exploring the conditions of a possible deal.
"How Andrea Berta [sporting director] does his business at Arsenal is very clear. It's not about one target and then the risk of that target not coming.
"They try to get their ducks in a row with three or four deals, get as far down the line as they can with as many targets as possible, and then decide which player they are going to go for.
"One of those players is Bradley Barcola. He's intimated to PSG that he's not going to sign a new contract. That's primarily because in the biggest games last season, he was on the bench.
"He doesn't want to go through that again. It looks like he could become available for a transfer."
