Liverpool have received a major boost in their chase for Bradley Barcola, with the Paris Saint-Germain winger reportedly giving the Reds his blessing on personal terms.
That breakthrough clears one of the main hurdles in what could shape up to be one of the summer’s headline transfers. The bigger fight now, though, looks set to be with PSG rather than the player himself, with Liverpool needing to convince the French champions to climb down from their steep valuation.
Barcola has become Liverpool’s top attacking target as they look to reshape their forward line following Mohamed Salah’s exit. His pace, direct running and versatility across the front three make him a natural fit for Andoni Iraola’s high-energy system.
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Barcola has given Liverpool the final green light on personal terms, meaning the player’s side of things is no longer viewed as an issue. Instead, the two clubs are now negotiating directly, with the transfer fee the major sticking point.
Sky Sports report PSG have slapped a valuation of around £145million on the 23-year-old, leaving a considerable gap Liverpool will need to close. The Reds have already held preliminary talks with PSG, but their opening offers haven’t been enough to sway the Ligue 1 champions so far.
PSG also hold a strong hand in the negotiations. Barcola still has two years left on his deal, meaning there’s no urgency for the French side to sell. Even after bringing in Maghnes Akliouche, PSG would still rather keep hold of Barcola unless Liverpool are willing to meet their asking price.
