Liverpool Close to Signing Bradley Barcola for £120 Million

Liverpool are closing in on a blockbuster move for Bradley Barcola after reaching an agreement in principle with Paris Saint-Germain worth around £120million (€140m).

The deal, which would see more than £100m guaranteed, is not yet signed but the framework is in place after talks accelerated overnight. Final details are being thrashed out on Thursday, with both clubs now deep into the final stretch of negotiations.

On Liverpool’s side, sporting director Richard Hughes, CEO Billy Hogan and Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon are driving the talks. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is handling negotiations for the European champions.

Nothing is completed yet. But the move is advanced enough that it is already casting a shadow over the futures of others in Liverpool’s forward line — most notably Cody Gakpo, who has been repeatedly linked with Tottenham Hotspur and has also attracted interest from Manchester City this summer.

Salah’s heir finally identified

Liverpool have spent the summer searching for a successor to Mohamed Salah. Barcola quickly emerged as the preferred choice.

The Athletic revealed on July 29 that Liverpool were preparing an opening bid for the 23-year-old, who had become their primary target for the right flank. Talks between Liverpool and PSG on Tuesday proved decisive, providing clarity on the structure of a potential deal and reinforcing Barcola’s determination to move to Merseyside.

Barcola has two years left on his PSG contract but has made it clear he does not intend to extend. That stance has shaped the French club’s position and his own recent involvement. He was left out of the squad for PSG’s Ligue 1-opening 2-2 draw with Rennes on Sunday, underlining the sense that his time in Paris is drawing to a close.

Proven on the biggest stages

Barcola is a Lyon academy product who has climbed quickly through the elite ranks. Since breaking into the PSG first team in the 2021-22 season, he has registered 39 goals and 37 assists in 152 appearances — strong numbers for a wide forward who has often had to fight for minutes.

Last season, competition was fierce. Operating mainly from the left but capable on either wing, the France international went up against Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue for game time. Luis Enrique leaned heavily on his depth in the latter stages of the Champions League, using Barcola largely from the bench as PSG went on to win the competition for the second year running.

Even in that crowded attacking cast, Barcola still made 49 appearances in the 2025-26 campaign, contributing 13 goals and seven assists as PSG retained the Ligue 1 title and their European crown.

His influence has not been confined to club football. Barcola played a prominent role for France at this summer’s World Cup, featuring in all eight matches and scoring three goals. Those performances only strengthened Liverpool’s conviction that he can handle the scrutiny and intensity that comes with replacing a figure of Salah’s stature.

What Barcola would bring to Liverpool

Barcola is not a like-for-like copy of Salah. He is a different type of wide forward, more naturally left-sided but comfortable attacking either flank, and he thrives when driving at defenders with pace and purpose.

That is precisely what Liverpool have been missing.

The club have needed a fresh injection of speed and directness in their front line, a winger who can unnerve full-backs and stretch defences. Barcola’s profile fits that brief: quick, aggressive in one-on-one situations, and productive in the final third.

If the deal is completed, Andoni Iraola will gain another high-tempo winger to fuel the front-foot style he is trying to stamp on this Liverpool side. A player who can carry the ball, commit defenders and still deliver end product.

The ripple effect: Gakpo and beyond

A signing of this scale rarely arrives without consequences. Barcola’s arrival would crowd an already competitive forward department and sharpen the focus on Gakpo’s future.

The Dutchman has been linked strongly with Tottenham and tracked by Manchester City. An agreement for Barcola would only intensify speculation over whether Liverpool might be willing to listen to offers, especially if it helps balance the books after such a substantial outlay.

For now, though, the club’s energy is fixed on getting Barcola over the line.

Supporters have waited all summer for a statement move in attack, a signing that signals where this evolving Liverpool side is heading. The club identified Barcola early, pushed through complex negotiations with PSG, and are now close to landing the winger they believe can carry part of Salah’s legacy.

If the paperwork follows the principle, Liverpool’s attack — and perhaps their season — is about to look very different.