Liverpool have agreed a big-money deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain attacking sensation Bradley Barcola.
According to a report from The Guardian, Liverpool have reached an agreement to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola after talks progressed on Thursday, with a deal worth around £120 million now firmly on track.
The 23-year-old was a priority attacking target for the Reds throughout the summer, but PSG’s initial £145 million valuation had proved a major obstacle. However, talks between the clubs progressed on Thursday and resulted in a breakthrough, with the French champions now prepared to accept a lower fee.
Liverpool have agreed to pay PSG £100 million as a guaranteed amount, with performance-related add-ons taking the overall value of the deal to around £120 million. The precise structure of those bonuses still needs to be finalised, but the agreement has put Barcola’s move to Anfield firmly on track.
According to Ben Jacobs, the final details could be completed in Monaco, where PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting adviser Luis Campos are currently present for the UEFA Champions League draw.
Barcola has already agreed personal terms with the Merseyside club and is now waiting for permission to formalise the transfer. The deal would see PSG realise a near-€100 million profit on Barcola three years after signing him for €45 million from Lyon in 2023.
PSG’s decision to lower their demands came after Liverpool’s pursuit of the winger intensified. The French club had initially been seeking £145 million, but the £120 million fee Real Madrid paid for Yan Diomande emerged as a new benchmark in negotiations.
Why does Barcola want to leave PSG?
Despite playing an important role in PSG’s rise to becoming back-to-back European champions, he has fallen down the pecking order. The manager increasingly preferred a front three featuring Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during the club’s biggest matches last season.
While he did contribute towards 20 goals last season, the French international racked up less than 3,000 minutes. The fact that he was not going to be a regular starter going forward is seen as one of the major reasons why he has been keen on a move away.
PSG have already added Ferran Torres, Maghnes Akliouche and Mika Godts to their attack. As a result, Barcola’s departure has been on the cards in recent weeks, and now with an agreement in place, it looks inevitable.
For Liverpool, the impending arrival of Barcola would represent a major statement of intent. Not only will he be a major upgrade on the exit-linked Cody Gakpo, but he is also set to be their main man in attack following the departure of Mohamed Salah at the end of last season.
