Report: Liverpool ready to make first move to sign world-class forward | OneFootball

Liverpool Prepare Bradley Barcola Bid as PSG Valuation Tests Andoni Iraola Plans

Liverpool are preparing an opening move for Bradley Barcola, with fresh work underway on a deal that would address one of the clearest priorities in Andoni Iraola’s squad planning. Credit to Alex Crook for talkSPORT, who reports that preliminary talks have already taken place, although any suggestion the France international has already agreed terms is described as premature.

Barcola has been on Liverpool’s radar for some time. The club explored the possibility of signing him in 2025, when a price of around €85 million, approximately £73m, was quoted. A year later, the landscape has shifted sharply. Paris Saint-Germain are now said to be opening at €170 million, around £145m, a figure Liverpool are highly unlikely to entertain.

That stance is central to this story. Liverpool admire Barcola and view him as an elite option on the wing, but there is “no plans to overpay, even in an inflated market”. Their own initial valuation is understood to be around £80m, which immediately underlines the gap between buying club and selling club.

Photo: IMAGO

Barcola price gap shapes Liverpool approach

PSG sources are framing the valuation around status and output, arguing Barcola is a back-to-back Champions League winner and should be worth more than Elliot Anderson, valued at £116m, and Morgan Rogers, valued at £117m. Liverpool, however, will point to his contract situation. Barcola has two years left on his current deal and is not expected to sign a new one, a factor that may become increasingly relevant as the window develops.

His numbers remain strong. He scored 11 goals in 29 Ligue 1 games last season and added another two in the Champions League. He also featured eight times for France at the World Cup this summer, scoring three and assisting once. For a club seeking pace, directness and versatility in the final third, those returns help explain the appeal.

Iraola makes winger need crystal clear

The strongest public indication of Liverpool’s thinking has come from the head coach himself. Iraola said: “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.” He then made the club’s need unmistakable, adding: “There are obvious situations that we know where we need to sign players. A winger, for example – we definitely need to sign a winger.”

He also offered a wider explanation of the challenge ahead: “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.” Iraola continued: “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.”

Alternative winger targets remain in play

Liverpool’s interest in Barcola appears serious, but contingency work is active. Said El Mala of Köln and Lille’s Matias Fernandez-Pardo are among the alternatives. Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh has been discussed, though talks are not active, while Bournemouth’s Rayan is considered a dream target. His release clause of more than €100 million, around £85m, does not become active until 2027.

Elsewhere, there is faith in Rio Ngumoha, Cody Gakpo’s future remains open to different possibilities, and Vitor Munoz has already joined from Osasuna. The picture is clear, Liverpool want a winger, Barcola is a leading name, and the next step will test whether PSG’s demands soften.

Our View

From a hopeful Liverpool perspective, this report feels encouraging even if the numbers are daunting. The most important part is that the club appear to know exactly what they want. Iraola has publicly said, “we definitely need to sign a winger”, and that clarity matters after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign. There is no confusion about the profile, Liverpool want pace, quality and flexibility out wide, and Barcola fits that perfectly.

The £145m valuation sounds wildly inflated, especially with two years left on his deal. Liverpool are right to hold firm around £80m and refuse to get dragged into a market frenzy. That does not mean the pursuit lacks ambition. Quite the opposite, it suggests a club trying to be aggressive and disciplined at the same time.

As supporters, Barcola is the kind of target who excites you because he already produces at the highest level and still has room to develop. His goal numbers, his France involvement, and his Champions League pedigree all point to a player ready for a huge role. If PSG do not budge, at least Liverpool seem to have done serious groundwork on alternatives. That is what smart recruitment looks like.

There is also something reassuring in hearing the coach speak so openly about squad needs and market conditions. It sounds practical, measured and honest. Fans will want a statement signing, of course, but they will also want a deal that makes sense. If Liverpool can keep pressure on PSG while exploring other options, they give themselves a real chance of landing the right winger before the window closes.

Source: Alex Crook for talkSPORT