Liverpool Targets Barcola and Mbaye as Summer Focus
Liverpool’s summer suddenly has a focal point. Two, in fact.
At the centre of it all: Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye, both tied to Paris Saint-Germain, both now firmly on Fenway Sports Group’s radar as the club look to reshape their attack at the very top end of the market.
Barcola: Liverpool and PSG find the number
For weeks, Liverpool and PSG have been locked in a high-stakes standoff over Barcola’s price. The winger, outstanding for France at the 2026 World Cup and one of the most coveted young forwards in Europe, has already told PSG he will not sign a new contract and wants out. His preferred destination is clear: he wants Liverpool.
PSG, though, set out their stall early. They valued the 23-year-old at a staggering €170m, a figure designed to test the resolve of any suitor, even one of Liverpool’s size. L’Equipe reported that the French champions were determined not to drop below €150m, while Liverpool were said to be drawing a hard line at €120m.
Something had to give. It has.
Liverpool-focused outlet DaveocKop now reports that an agreement in principle has been reached between the clubs at around €128m, with add-ons described as more realistic than the earlier, heavier clauses floated in negotiations. Crucially, this follows earlier claims that Liverpool already have a contractual agreement in place with Barcola himself.
The message from those close to the deal is cautious: nothing is signed, nothing is completed. An “agreement in principle” can still unravel. One outlet is currently carrying the story, and the move still needs backing from other major sources before it can be treated as close to done.
But the direction of travel is obvious. Liverpool have moved off their initial stance. PSG have climbed down from their original demand. The gap that once looked unbridgeable now has a number on it.
For Liverpool, this is a statement-level commitment. A fee of €128m would place Barcola among the most expensive signings in the club’s history, a clear indication that FSG are prepared to go deep into their resources for a player they believe can define the next phase of the attack.
Mbaye pursuit: Liverpool step to the front
While the Barcola saga rumbles on, another PSG winger has quietly become a live option.
Ibrahim Mbaye, long admired across Europe, has drawn firm interest from Liverpool, with Fabrizio Romano outlining a clear shift in the race. Speaking on The Market Madness on August 6, Romano stated there is “genuine interest” from Liverpool and confirmed that conversations are underway with Mbaye’s new agent, Jorge Mendes.
Bayer Leverkusen had pushed hard. At one stage, RB Leipzig looked close to a deal before it collapsed in the wake of the failed Diomande-PSG move. That opened the door. Liverpool have walked through it.
On August 4, Romano reported that Liverpool had made direct contact with Mendes and that Mbaye, who also has offers from Bundesliga clubs, is giving priority to the Liverpool project. TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey then added that Liverpool are in talks with the player’s representatives and that Mbaye himself is keen on a switch to Anfield.
This is not yet a bidding war, but it is a race. And right now, Liverpool are in front.
A new-look Liverpool front line?
If Liverpool manage to close even one of these deals, the attacking landscape at Anfield changes. If they land both, it transforms it.
Barcola would arrive as a headline act: a World Cup star, a wide forward with the profile and price tag to walk straight into the starting XI. Mbaye, younger and at a different stage of his development, would represent both immediate depth and long-term upside, particularly under a coaching staff that has consistently improved forwards.
For now, there are still hurdles. PSG must sign off. Contracts must be finalised. Other clubs could yet try to disrupt the Mbaye talks. But Liverpool have positioned themselves aggressively on two elite talents in the same market window, and that in itself sends a message.
The numbers are huge, the negotiations delicate, the noise growing by the day. If FSG push these over the line, the question won’t be whether Liverpool have refreshed their attack.
It will be how far this rebuilt forward line can take them.
