Liverpool close to £120m deal for Barcola as Salah successor
Liverpool are on the brink of landing Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal that would reshape their forward line and send shockwaves across Europe.
An agreement in principle has been reached between the clubs for a package worth around £120million (€140m), with more than £100m guaranteed. The finer details are being thrashed out on Thursday, but the framework is in place for one of the biggest transfers of the 2026-27 window.
On Liverpool’s side, sporting director Richard Hughes, CEO Billy Hogan and Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon are driving negotiations. Across the table, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is leading talks for the European champions.
Nothing is signed yet. But the direction of travel is clear — and it could trigger a chain reaction.
Salah’s heir — and the Gakpo question
Barcola, 23, has been Liverpool’s primary target to replace Mohamed Salah throughout the summer. The Athletic revealed on July 29 that the club were preparing their opening bid; weeks of conversations have now brought the saga to the brink of completion.
His imminent arrival raises an obvious question: what happens to Cody Gakpo?
The Dutch forward has been repeatedly linked with Tottenham Hotspur and has also attracted interest from Manchester City in this window. A nine-figure outlay on Barcola will inevitably sharpen focus on Gakpo’s role and future minutes under Andoni Iraola.
For now, Liverpool are concentrating on getting Barcola through the door. Once that is settled, the knock-on effects for the rest of the attack will come into sharper focus.
Barcola pushes for exit
Barcola has two years left on his PSG contract but has made it clear he does not want to extend his stay in Paris. His stance has been firm enough that Luis Enrique left him out of the squad entirely for PSG’s Ligue 1 opener, a 2-2 draw against Rennes on Sunday.
That omission underlined what had been building behind the scenes. Barcola wants Liverpool. Talks between the clubs on Tuesday were described as “key” in bringing clarity to the proposed move, with the France international committed to joining the Merseyside side.
A product of Lyon’s academy, Barcola moved to PSG and fought his way into one of the most competitive forward lines in world football. Last season he found himself in direct competition with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue for minutes across the front line, particularly on the flanks.
Luis Enrique often turned to him from the bench in the latter stages of PSG’s Champions League campaign, as the club completed back-to-back European titles. Yet even in that environment, Barcola’s numbers held up.
Output, pedigree and profile
In the 2025-26 season, Barcola made 49 appearances for PSG in all competitions, scoring 13 goals and providing seven assists as they retained the Ligue 1 title and conquered Europe again.
Since breaking into senior football in the 2021-22 campaign, he has racked up 152 club appearances, delivering 39 goals and 37 assists. Those are not just promising numbers for a wide forward in his early twenties; they are the profile of a player ready to lead an attack.
Barcola operates predominantly from the left wing, driving inside with pace and direct running, but he is comfortable on the right as well. That versatility is central to Liverpool’s plan to evolve beyond the Salah era without losing their edge in wide areas.
His summer only strengthened his reputation. Barcola played a prominent role for France at the World Cup, appearing in all eight of their matches and scoring three times. On the biggest stage, he showed he can handle pressure, tempo and expectation.
What it means for Liverpool and Iraola
Liverpool’s need for attacking reinforcements has been obvious. A front line that once terrified opponents with relentless speed and incision has been crying out for a new injection of chaos and threat from wide areas.
Barcola fits that brief. He is direct, purposeful and aggressive with the ball, the type of winger who forces defenders to turn and sprint towards their own goal. He stretches games. He draws fouls. He creates space for others.
If the deal is completed as expected, Iraola will inherit another pacy winger perfectly suited to the high-tempo, front-foot style he wants to impose at Anfield. It gives him another option to rotate across both flanks, to press high, and to attack in waves.
Supporters have been waiting all summer for a signing to truly ignite their excitement. This is the one they have pinned their hopes on — a statement move, a Salah successor, and a forward who could define what Liverpool look like in the next era.
Now it comes down to signatures. If Liverpool get this over the line, the shape of their season — and their attack — changes in an instant.
