Record-breaking Liverpool transfer gets go-ahead as Diomande snub becomes a ‘blessing’ for Reds | OneFootball

Liverpool have been given a green light to pursue a deal for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola this summer, according to reports.

The Reds have already brought one winger to Anfield this summer with Spain international Victor Munoz joining from La Liga side Osasuna for around €40m.

However, that will not stop Liverpool in their pursuit of a top-class winger to replace Mohamed Salah, who is reportedly set to move to the Saudi Pro League or Major League Soccer.

RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande had been their top target this summer but it became clear recently that the Ivory Coast international is looking to move to PSG instead.

There had been rumours that Diomande’s potential move to PSG could free up Liverpool to go after Barcola as the French side potentially look to recoup some money.

Some reports speculated that PSG viewed Barcola as untouchable this summer, despite the Ligue Un champions’ interest in Diomande, but Fabrizio Romano insists that’s not true anymore.

Romano revealed on Wednesday: “Until last week, Barcola was untouchable; now I see him linked to several clubs. The reality, guys, is that Barcola is not untouchable. Barcola has serious possibilities to leave Paris in the summer transfer window. I maintain my information since April and I stand by my information.

“Don’t forget also Liverpool, because both Liverpool and Arsenal are calling for Barcola. Liverpool have the player on the very top of their shortlist since the summer transfer window 2025, and Liverpool remain interested in Barcola.

“Barcola is also appreciated by Arsenal, but he is not position number one. Position number one is Rogers, position number two is Barcola, and there are more options in terms of wingers. So that’s the situation at Arsenal.

“Then, important to mention for PSG, he is not untouchable because the new contract talks are completely, completely on standby, stalling for a long time. So Barcola-PSG at the moment, there is no agreement over a new deal, and also important to say, PSG would ask for important money. So who’s going to sign Barcola? It’s not just about the interest, it’s also about the package of money they’re going to present to Paris Saint-Germain. So that’s the situation.”

And now our friends at TEAMtalk have revealed that Liverpool have been shown a ‘significant green light’ to pursue a deal for Barcola this summer.

The website insists that the ‘Paris Saint-Germain star’s camp are actively exploring a move this summer – although it will take a British-record fee to prise him away from the French champions’.

A move to Liverpool now ‘looks an increasing possibility’ as sources insist that were Barcola to reject another contract renewal offer at PSG, then the French club ‘will reluctantly consider sanctioning a sale’.

It will not come cheap to the Reds though, as PSG ‘will seek around €150million (£128m, $172m) for the 23-year-old’ which would break the £125m record Liverpool set when they signed Alexander Isak from Newcastle last summer.

If Liverpool decide to sign Barcola, former Reds midfielder Danny Murphy thinks the Premier League club would view missing out on Diomande as a “blessing”.

Murphy told BetWright: “I hope so because I think he’s a terrific player. I don’t think they should have been looking at Diomande for the money they were talking about anyway. He is a super talent, but that’s all he is: a talent. He’s a prospect.

“Paying over the odds for a player based on potential, I’m not sure over £100m for a player who hasn’t a body of work that justifies that money was the right way to go. In a way, it might be a blessing.

“Barcola would be less expensive and obviously maybe surplus to requirements with the signings PSG are making. We’ve seen in the Champions League for the last couple of years now the impact he can have on games, so it’s a less risky signing.

“The only thing with Barcola, of course, is he’s more comfortable on the left than the right. He can play on the right on occasion, but really I think someone more used to and suited playing on the right would probably be a better option. But Barcola maybe, too, why not?

“It’s certainly interesting and fascinating to see what they’re going to do because the squad needs a bit of reshaping. There are all these questions around Liverpool at the moment, which is, when you think about winning the league and then what we spent, it’s an incredible conundrum that they’re in really and shouldn’t be in.”