Liverpool Pursues Bradley Barcola as Salah's Successor
Liverpool’s hunt for a successor to Mohamed Salah has narrowed onto one name with growing clarity: Bradley Barcola.
The Paris Saint-Germain winger, long admired across Europe, has moved to the forefront of Liverpool’s attacking plans this summer, with the club pushing ahead in talks and sensing a window of opportunity that Bayern Munich cannot afford to chase.
Liverpool close in on Salah’s heir
Liverpool have already added one wide option, bringing in Spain international Victor Munoz from Osasuna. That deal, though, was never going to be the final word on their forward line. The vacancy left by Salah’s departure at the end of last season still looms large, and the club have been searching for a genuine headline act to fill it.
RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande had been the preferred choice. Liverpool went as far as submitting a bid, only to watch the move slip away as the forward closed in on a transfer to Real Madrid. With that door closing, attention at Anfield swung sharply towards Barcola.
The PSG winger, whose contract runs until 2028, has been at the centre of growing speculation over his future. Reports in France have suggested he is unlikely to sign a new deal at the Parc des Princes and is keen on a move to the Premier League, with Anfield his preferred destination.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano set out the state of play on Friday, outlining a picture that suits Liverpool on every front except one.
Contacts, he said, are ongoing between Liverpool, PSG and Barcola’s camp. Personal terms are not expected to be an obstacle. The player is described as “very keen” on the move and “excited” by the Liverpool project. The club, for their part, want Barcola and intend to table a bid.
The sticking point is the fee.
PSG, having already lost several attacking players this summer and still working on other deals, are under no pressure to sell cheaply. They also need time to line up replacements before sanctioning the departure of another key forward. Liverpool, Romano stressed, must decide how far they are willing to go financially before any agreement can be struck. Nothing is imminent, but the direction of travel is clear: Liverpool are ready to move, and the negotiations will hinge on PSG’s valuation.
Bayern watching – but not bidding
In the background, Bayern Munich have been monitoring the situation, but only from a distance.
Sport Bild journalist Christian Falk reports that Bayern have tracked Barcola for the past two summers and stayed in regular contact with his representatives. The 23-year-old remains on their shortlist, and they again checked in this summer to gauge his feelings about the future, aware that the lack of contract talks with PSG means his price will, in theory, drop year by year.
Right now, though, the numbers do not work for the Bundesliga side. Falk makes it clear: Barcola is too expensive for Bayern this summer. For Liverpool, he is not.
That financial reality leaves Liverpool “closer” to a deal than any rival, with Bayern effectively stepping aside for this window. The German champions still see a potential long-term role for Barcola, particularly with uncertainty around Michael Olise’s future beyond this season. Olise is staying put for now, but next summer Bayern may face a decision on whether to sell him or tie him down to a new contract.
If Olise moves on, Barcola would be Bayern’s number one option to replace him. That scenario only comes into play, though, if the Frenchman remains in Paris for another year. Should Liverpool complete the signing in the coming weeks, Falk is blunt: there would be “no chance” for Bayern.
For Liverpool, the equation is simpler, if not cheaper. They need a player of Barcola’s profile now, not in a year’s time. The contract side is aligned, the player is eager, and the competition is, for once, limited by budget rather than prestige.
Everything comes down to one decision: how much are Liverpool prepared to pay PSG to secure Salah’s successor in this window, rather than watch another elite target slip away?
