Next Liverpool offer ‘gets it done’ as Barcola deal accelerates but another transfer is ‘more problematic’ | OneFootball

Liverpool are moving closer to finding a deal with Paris Saint-Germain for Bradley Barcola but negotiations for Ibrahim Mbaye are “a little bit more problematic”.

The Reds have been looking to replace Mohamed Salah – who has joined Turkish side Trabzonspor – all summer with Victor Munoz arriving from Osasuna earlier in the summer as their first winger signing.

Liverpool made Yan Diomande their top target early on in the transfer window, even making a bid, but it soon became clear the Ivorian had other preferred destinations before eventually joining Real Madrid.

Since then, Barcola has emerged as the Reds’ top target with Liverpool making several verbal offers as they look to get closer to PSG’s valuation of the player.

There have been rumours that PSG want as much as €150m for the France international, while recent reports have suggested that the French side could now accept a deal as low as €130m.

And respected journalist Fabrice Hawkins reckons the “next written offer” from Liverpool will be accepted and “gets it done”.

Speaking on the After Foot podcast, Hawkins said: “Bradley Barcola wants to join Liverpool. PSG were informed earlier of his desire, and it was accepted.

“There’s no intention to keep Bradley Barcola. The sticking point has been the valuation, where they started at €170m.

“Liverpool have made different verbal offers. They’ve made offers since the verbal one, but there hasn’t been a written offer yet because, at this level, I think the next written offer will be the one that gets it done.

“We’ve understood that it would be somewhere between €130m and €150m, but in any case, it won’t be below €120m for Bradley Barcola. Everyone involved in this deal thinks there will be an agreement.”

There have been widespread reports claiming that Liverpool are also interested in Barcola’s PSG team-mate Mbaye but Hawkins insists that deal is “a little bit more problematic”.

Hawkins added: “I don’t dare say the price being asked by Paris Saint-Germain, firstly because I haven’t had confirmation, and when I do get confirmation, I will write it.

“Ibrahim Mbaye has a contractual agreement with Liverpool. What’s really going to be a problem is the agreement between clubs because LFC are already negotiating for Barcola, who is their top priority, they really want to make it happen and I said, I think it’s going to go through.

“That’s the feeling amongst everyone in the deal. Secondly, there’s Ibrahim Mbaye but PSG are asking for a substantial fee, and at the moment Liverpool aren’t ready to accept that.

“Whilst they’re sitting down negotiating with Barcola, they’re saying ‘we will negotiate, we will find common ground’. For Ibrahim Mbaye, it’s a little bit more problematic but negotiations are still ongoing.”

Is a move for Mbaye actually more pressing for Liverpool?

European football expert Andy Brassell reckons Liverpool need Mbaye or another right-sided forward more than Barcola, who predominantly plays on the left.

Brassell told talkSPORT: “I think he’s an enormous young talent who needs to get out and play. And he won’t do that in Paris.”

On whether a move to Liverpool this summer makes sense for Mbaye, he added: “It could be. Although, obviously, if we frame it like that, replacing Salah directly, well, A, is impossible. But B, that’s a lot of pressure to put on someone.

“In terms of the fact that they need a right-sided forward, I think they need a right-sided forward more than they need Bradley Barcola.

“Not that I think Bradley Barcola would be anything less than excellent for them. But, yeah, that’s definitely the key spot that they need to replace. And obviously, they’re going around the squad and making little upgrades.

“And really, I think Liverpool are still settling from last year’s transfer window, which was a bit tumultuous, really.

“A lot more change than a lot of people expected. But, yeah, a right-side player and a right-side player of talent is exactly what they need.”

On whether both Barcola and Mbaye could depart Parc des Princes, Brassell continued: “Yeah, absolutely. And I don’t think it’s just down to the Trophy de Champions [where they were both out of the squad]. I think, really, if something has happened this weekend, to mean that it’s in the best interest of everyone for Barcola and Mbaye to move, which I think it was anyway, it’s the fact that you’ve got that incredible front three and then you’ve added Akliouche to that.

“And over this weekend, on Friday, they added Ferran Torres, officially, at last. And then they’ve added Mika Godts as well. So, that really squeezes the minutes for the other guys, I think. And that really indicates that PSG are ready to do business before the bell tolls on September 1st.

“And we’ve seen that PSG earlier in this window have sold very well. I think they’ll continue to sell very well. That’s a huge part of being an elite club, isn’t it?”