After Mohamed Salah’s exit at the end of last season, Liverpool have been mooted to bring in a forward to replace the Egyptian and with only five weeks left until the Premier League gets underway, they are believed to have begun talks for a key target.
TEAMtalk has reported that Liverpool have made contact with Paris Saint-Germain over a potential switch for Bradley Barcola in the ongoing summer transfer window, as Andoni Iraola targets an ambitious signing to bolster his offensive department.
PSG are prepared to offload Barcola for the right sum, according to the source, whereas the French international is also open to joining Liverpool from the Ligue 1 outfit as he looks to play regular minutes having been second fiddle under Luis Enrique.
L’Equipe, on a related note, has claimed that PSG will seek a lofty transfer fee for the 23-year-old’s sale with a £130 million valuation set against Barcola’s name after he contributed to their successive Champions League triumphs.
Barcola worth the investment for Liverpool
In a fairly limited role for Paris Saint-Germain behind the likes of Desire Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola has produced consistent returns in the final third with 13 goals and seven assists in all competitions last season.
He can stretch defences, attack his opponents in one-on-one situations, has good close control of the ball and has the ability to play on the interior of the pitch as well, whilst making direct runs into goal-scoring positions.
Barcola’s positional sense coupled with a versatility that equips him to play on both flanks and as a centre forward will make him worth a proposed £130 million investment for Liverpool, where he can play consistent football and be a long-term option.
Andoni Iraola would also leverage from Barcola’s pressing and willingness to track back to defend, besides his offensive dynamism, so from an all-round perspective, he would be a brilliant signing for the Reds despite an eye-watering asking price.
