Liverpool launch €135m new Bradley Barcola bid after PSG drop demands
Liverpool have upped the stakes for Bradley Barcola by sending Paris Saint-Germain a huge new offer worth €135million (£115m), according to a report.
PSG had planned to keep Barcola at the start of the summer, only for the Frenchman to tell the club he wants to leave in search of guaranteed starts. The Champions League holders have brought in Mika Godts and Maghnes Akliouche to help prepare for Barcola’s likely sale.
Arsenal admire Barcola, but Liverpool are in pole position to land him. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Liverpool have agreed personal terms with the 23-year-old.
After entering direct talks with PSG, Liverpool started the bidding at £100m. PSG, though, told them to pay a whopping £145m.
It emerged on Saturday that the French giants have since softened on that price tag, as they are now willing to sell Barcola for £125m.
Liverpool have taken another big step towards capturing Barcola by putting a new bid of €135m/£115m on the table, as per French source Foot01.
Liverpool believe they can strong-arm PSG into accepting a deal worth even less than £125m. The Reds are playing on the fact that Barcola wants to leave PSG and move to Anfield this summer.
It is an offer that ‘PSG did not immediately dismiss out of hand’, as they are still considering it.
If Liverpool do end up paying £125m for Barcola, then such a transfer would match both theirs and the Premier League’s transfer record.
That is currently held by Alexander Isak, who cost Liverpool £125m when joining from Newcastle United last summer.
We confirmed earlier on Monday that fellow PSG winger Ibrahim Mbaye has agreed terms with Liverpool, just like Barcola.
Liverpool could sign Bradley Barcola AND Ibrahim Mbaye
Andoni Iraola’s side are open to signing both players as they operate on different flanks. Barcola likes to play off the left, while Mbaye is mainly a right winger.
PSG first set Mbaye’s price tag at £43-50m, though Liverpool are confident of signing him for closer to £30m.
The pair were left out of PSG’s squad for their 1-0 Trophee des Champions defeat to Lens on Sunday.
When asked about Barcola and Mbaye before the game, manager Luis Enrique replied: “We are a very young, very ambitious team. It is important for us to make changes and look for players who enjoy playing our way and who love playing for PSG.
“When a player doesn’t want to come here, or doesn’t have a smile on their face about being here, it is better to find another solution.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool have been told why they must avoid re-signing Trent Alexander-Arnold.
