Huge Barcola blow for Liverpool with Arsenal ‘top of the race’ to sign PSG winger | OneFootball

Arsenal are “top of the race” to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola in a blow to Liverpool, according to reports.

Liverpool have already signed one winger this summer in the form of Victor Munoz from Osasuna but they are on the lookout for another after losing Mohamed Salah at the end of the season.

The Reds had made RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande their top target as they looked to replace Salah but it became clear last month that the Ivory Coast international preferred a move to PSG over Liverpool.

Liverpool have now moved on to other targets with PSG winger Barcola, who has been starring for France at the World Cup, emerging as their next priority target.

Fabrizio Romano said earlier this week that Barcola was no longer “untouchable” at PSG with the French side now loosening up to a potential deal.

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.”

But, in a blow to Liverpool, Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele has revealed that he’s heard off an Arsenal source that the Gunners are leading the race to sign Barcola.

Steele told his YouTube channel: “Arsenal seem very hot on Morgan Rogers. Can they afford both of him and Bradley Barcola? I’m not sure.

“I had a text from someone in the know at Arsenal, or around Arsenal, I should say, last week and they were saying that they believe that Arsenal are top of the race for Barcola. But I don’t know how clear-cut it is, we don’t know for certain whether he’s leaving- that’s another question.”

When asked on a recent appearance on The Redmen TV whether Liverpool will “definitely” be signing another winger, Steele replied: “If I say 100%, I’ll get hounded out of Anfield by the fans the next time I’m there if they don’t! Yeah, I’m 99% [sure] they’ve got to sign a winger. You can’t let the best player of the last decade, and fourth in the all-time list, leave and not replace him.

“I know they signed Victor Munoz but I think the plan was always to do two forwards. With respect to Munoz, I think he was the second [choice] forward. It was a bit of a dagger in the heart to miss out on Diomande, as it appears that’s going to be the case, but they’ve clearly got money there if they bid £80m for Diomande a few weeks ago.

“They’ve got the money to do it and I’d be very surprised if they don’t [sign a winger]. They won’t sign someone for the sake of it. There’s four or five options that they’ve really done the work on, so I think we can say 99% sure. A winger was always a priority this summer.”