Liverpool bid for major Andoni Iraola transfer target imminent as deal agreed | OneFootball

Reds out to make a significant splash after slow start to summer business

Liverpool are reportedly set to launch their opening bid for Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola.

The French forward has moved to the top of the summer transfer shortlist at Anfield as the Reds seek to replace club icon Mohamed Salah, who left earlier this summer by mutual agreement following nine illustrious years on Merseyside.

Liverpool had previously targeted Ivory Coast’s teenage winger Yan Diomande and are believed to have seen a bid worth around £85million rejected by RB Leipzig, who now look poised to sell him to Real Madrid for more than £100m following the World Cup despite strong interest from PSG.

They are also believed to have made an initial approach for Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche, who has also been the subject of multiple bids from PSG, having triggered the £34.5m release clause of Spain winger Victor Munoz at Osasuna in their only signing so far to begin the new Andoni Iraola era.

Reports over the weekend claimed that PSG were demanding a huge £145m fee for the 23-year-old, having particularly taken note of the recent prices paid by Chelsea and Manchester City respectively for England midfielders Morgan Rogers (£117m) and Elliot Anderson (£116m).

Barcola is said to be keen to leave the Parc des Princes in this window with no desire to agree an extension to a contract that expires in 2028 and rumoured frustration at having started back-to-back Champions League finals under head coach Luis Enrique on the bench.

French newspaper L’Equipe claim that Barcola has verbally agreed to join Liverpool, with personal terms not providing any barrier towards a potential blockbuster deal.

However, it seems that Liverpool and PSG likely remain far apart in their respective valuations of a player who scored 13 goals and registered seven assists in 49 appearances across all competitions for all-conquering PSG last season before netting three times in eight outings en route to France’s disappointing fourth-place finish at the World Cup in North America.