‘Barcola wants…’ – Journalist states which club PSG star is ‘leaning towards’ in transfer race | OneFootball

One journalist has claimed that, if Bradley Barcola were to leave Paris Saint-Germain in the current transfer window, Liverpool would be his preferred destination.

The French forward has reportedly been the Reds’ primary target for most of the summer and have seen an opening offer of €105m (£89.9m) plus add-ons rejected by the Champions League holders, who are seeking a figure closer to £145m (BBC Sport).

Arsenal are also understood to have been ‘chasing’ the 23-year-old (Sky Sports), although it’d seem that the player prefers Merseyside over north London.

Ben Jacobs: Barcola ‘wants Liverpool’

Speaking on Born ‘N Red, Ben Jacobs outlined that ‘Barcola wants Liverpool, but ultimately PSG will sell to the highest bidder’, adding that the Gunners would only come into the equation if Vinicius Junior opts to remain with Real Madrid and the Premier League champions decide not to pursue Julian Alvarez as an alternative target.

The journalist added: “Were Arsenal, with other targets like Iliman Ndiaye for example, to enter the Barcola race, they would probably have to meet PSG’s asking price and hope Liverpool back off.

“If it is Arsenal versus Liverpool, both with agreements with PSG, then my information is that Barcola is leaning towards Liverpool.”

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How high are Liverpool prepared to go for Barcola?

If the player’s preference is indeed for a move to Anfield rather than the Emirates Stadium, that’d theoretically give the Reds a much stronger chance of signing him from PSG.

However, the single biggest obstacle in this high-profile pursuit is obviously the gargantuan price tag that the European champions have placed on the 23-year-old in a clear statement of their intent to either keep him or to only sell him at a premium.

That may partly explain why Liverpool are also pursuing a potential move for Barcola’s teammate Ibrahim Mbaye, who’s much less proven at the highest level but would at least be more readily attainable at a reported valuation of €40m-€50m (£34.3m-£42.9m).

The ideal scenario would be to land the France international, who’d give the Reds an elite replacement for Mo Salah in the forward line, but FSG can’t afford not to reinforce the wide attacking positions this month (especially on the right, where Federico Chiesa is our only natural senior option).

The 23-year-old’s reported preference for Anfield is helpful, but convincing PSG to let him leave would almost certainly require an outlay to either rival or exceed the club-record fee paid for Alexander Isak nearly a year ago.

The question remains – just how high are Liverpool prepared to go for Barcola?