Liverpool eye dream alternative to Barcola as personal terms agreement is rejected | OneFootball

Liverpool are eyeing Bournemouth forward Rayan as their ‘dream’ alternative if they can’t sign Bradley Barcola this summer, according to reports.

Despite signing one winger already in the form of Spain international Victor Munoz, who joined from Osasuna for €40m, Liverpool are still on the lookout for another winger.

The Reds need a top-class performer to replace legendary winger Mohamed Salah, who was allowed to leave the club at the end of the season in order to pursue a new challenge.

Initially, RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande was their top target as they lodged a €100m offer, but it soon became clear that he wanted to move elsewhere with Real Madrid now closing in on the transfer.

And now Liverpool are in hot pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain winger Barcola with rumours doing the rounds that he’s already agreed personal terms.

However, several journalists have rejected those reports with transfer insider Fabrizio Romano insisting that. although Liverpool is ‘his priority’ move, no financial agreement is yet in place.

Romano said on X: ‘Bradley Barcola wants to join Liverpool and there’s no doubt on that, as reported since May.

‘#LFC project is his priority – but any financial agreement is yet to be approved, done or sealed. Seen as natural step but at the right time. Talks will take place in the next days on player side.’

Before Loic Tanzi of L’Equipe gave a very similar update, he wrote: ‘Bradley Barcola (23 years old, under contract with PSG until June 2028) has given his verbal agreement to Liverpool for a transfer.

‘However, contrary to what was reported by Italian media on Monday, this does not yet constitute a contractual agreement between the former Lyon player and Liverpool.’

And talkSPORT agree that ‘suggestions that Barcola has already agreed terms are premature’ but they do claim that Liverpool ‘are set to place an opening bid’ to sign the France international.

Barcola is priced €170m by PSG and the report adds: ‘Although Liverpool view adding Barcola as an ideal scenario, there are no plans to overpay, even in an inflated market.’

And that could lead to Liverpool pursuing alternative targets with talkSPORT claiming that Bournemouth star Rayan is ‘considered a dream target’.

The Brazil international’s release clause of around £85m ‘doesn’t kick in until 2027’ and the Reds could be faced with paying over the odds this summer.

Chelsea winger Pedro Neto, Köln forward Said El Mala and Lille star Matias Fernandez-Pardo are also believed to be on Liverpool’s list of alternatives.

Liverpool will almost certainly bring in another wide player with Reds head coach Andoni Iraola revealing over the weekend that they need reinforcements in that position.

Iraola told reporters on Sunday: “No, I think it’s difficult to say a number [of players the Reds could sign] when the market is open, and you have to be always open to new options to improve the squad.

“There are obvious situations that we know where we need to sign players. A winger, for example – we definitely need to sign a winger.

“But there are other situations that we will have to analyse what the market gives you, what’s the cost, how we also see the players we have.

“We have some tricky positions where we have injured players that we trust but it is still not the ideal situation.

“So, it will depend on a lot of things.”