Bayern Munich's Transfer Challenges: Barcola and Gordon Slip Away
Bayern Munich’s summer transfer plan for the wings was bold. The reality of the market was brutal.
The German champions sounded out moves for Bradley Barcola and Anthony Gordon, two of Europe’s most coveted wide forwards, as Vincent Kompany looked to inject fresh pace and unpredictability into his attack. The idea was clear: upgrade the flanks, refresh the squad, stay ahead.
The numbers shut the door.
Bayern admire, Liverpool spend
Bradley Barcola was high on the list in Munich. Very high.
Max Eberl didn’t hide it when speaking to Sport Bild. The Bayern sporting director has tracked the Frenchman for years, going back to his time at RB Leipzig.
"To be honest, I already know Bradley from my time at Leipzig. I wanted to bring him to Leipzig," he said, outlining how early talks had created a personal link between the pair. "We sat down together and discussed it back then. That’s how I developed a closer relationship with Bradley. So there was always interest there. Of course, we also looked into him at Bayern."
Interest, though, is cheap. Barcola is not.
Liverpool moved decisively, paying a staggering £123 million to bring the winger to Anfield as Mohamed Salah’s long-term replacement after the Egyptian’s glittering nine-year stay on Merseyside came to an end. For Bayern, that was the breaking point.
"When you hear about sums like that, it was too much for us," Eberl admitted. He referenced their own big-money move for Luis Diaz, stressing that while Bayern are prepared to spend, this was a different financial universe. "With Luis Diaz, we made a decision that was also costly, but on a different scale than Bradley."
Liverpool, by contrast, made Barcola their primary target and built their window around him. The two-time Champions League winner with Paris Saint-Germain wanted the move, and that commitment allowed the Reds to see off competition from Arsenal and close the deal.
The fee instantly installs the France international as the second-most expensive signing in Liverpool’s history, behind only club-record arrival Alexander Isak.
Gordon too rich for Bayern’s blood
The script repeated itself on the other flank.
Anthony Gordon, one of the Premier League’s standout wide players at Newcastle, also came under serious consideration at Säbener Straße. Bayern saw him as the answer on the left wing.
"It’s no secret that we were interested in Anthony Gordon for the left wing," Eberl conceded. The interest was real, the pursuit short-lived. "We decided we were not doing that because he was simply too expensive."
Barcelona, ready to gamble, stepped in. Gordon left Newcastle for the Camp Nou in a £69m deal, another elite winger slipping away from Bayern’s grasp in a market where Premier League and top-end La Liga spending power continues to distort the landscape.
Knock-on effect in Munich
Missing out on Barcola and Gordon didn’t just leave Bayern without their top wide targets. It helped reshape their entire squad planning.
With no nine-figure outlay on a winger, the club pivoted. They brought in Ismael Saibari and Nathaniel Brown, adding versatility and depth, while sanctioning a sizeable clear-out to keep the books tight and the squad lean.
Joao Palhinha, Alexander Nubel, Daniel Peretz, Noel Aseko, Jonah Kusi-Asare, Maurice Krattenmacher, and Lovro Zvornarek all departed the Allianz Arena as Bayern trimmed around Kompany’s core group and reset the wage structure after a turbulent cycle of windows.
The message was unmistakable: Bayern will still spend, but they will not chase Premier League-level fees at any cost.
Barcola’s early steps at Anfield
While Bayern recalibrate, Barcola is already living the reality of that £123m price tag.
Andoni Iraola has wasted little time bedding him in at Liverpool. The 24-year-old made his debut off the bench, replacing fellow new signing Victor Munoz on the hour mark in a 2-0 away win at Ipswich, a gentle first taste of English football.
His first start came under the Anfield lights on Wednesday night, and the stage was far bigger. Atletico Madrid. Champions League. Diego Simeone prowling the touchline.
Barcola produced flashes of exactly what Liverpool paid for during the 2-1 victory – direct running, sharp movement, and the kind of one-v-one threat that can tilt tight European ties. The crowd responded. So did Atletico’s defenders, who increasingly doubled up on him.
The intensity, though, told on his legs. Cramp forced him off shortly after Alexis Mac Allister struck the decisive second-half goal, a reminder that adaptation to Liverpool’s physical demands and Iraola’s high-energy style will take time.
For now, his minutes will need careful management. The fee, the expectation, the role he has inherited from Salah – none of that can be eased. His workload can.
Liverpool have their man. Bayern walk away with their principles intact. The season will reveal who judged the market better.
