Liverpool open transfer talks with Paris St-Germain for Bradley Barcola
Liverpool have opened formal negotiations with Paris St-Germain to sign France winger Bradley Barcola in a transfer that could be worth more than £87m.
The Premier League side are desperate to bolster their forward line following the departure of club legend Mohamed Salah at the end of last season.
Manager Andoni Iraola has identified the 23-year-old as his primary target to line up alongside Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.
Valuation gap remains
The back-to-back European champions currently value their prized asset at approximately £145m.
However, the Anfield club are aiming to negotiate a lower fee and have signalled a willingness to bid above €100m (£87m).
Journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that while an agreement is not imminent, the player is extremely eager to complete a move to England.
“Next week, new contacts prepared between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain for Bradley Barcola,” Romano stated on his YouTube channel.
A potential summer saga
The Italian transfer specialist suggested the complex negotiations could drag on throughout the summer window.
“Paris Saint-Germain are open to negotiating, but their conditions are expensive,” Romano added.
“Negotiations are going to take place, but don’t forget that the player wants to go to Liverpool, and that Liverpool consider Barcola their top, top target.”
The French World Cup semi-finalist enjoyed a stellar international tournament, registering three goals and one assist across eight appearances.
At club level, the dynamic forward’s creative metrics have been exceptional under Luis Enrique.
The Parisian manager recently praised the lightning-fast attacker as the finest passer in Ligue 1, while team-mate Gianluigi Donnarumma previously labelled him phenomenal.
Competition for attacking spaces
Further attacking arrivals at Anfield may depend on the futures of Cody Gakpo, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa, who all face uncertain summers.
Meanwhile, Barcola’s desire to secure guaranteed starting opportunities has accelerated his search for a new challenge away from the French capital.